Lawyers, policymakers discuss access to justice, future of the legal profession at Vidhi Utsav 2026

Vidhi Utsav 2026, a legal literature festival organised by OakBridge Publishing, recently brought together policymakers, lawyers, scholars and students to engage in discussions on justice, legal reform and the evolving role of law in society.

The festival was held on March 28 and 29 at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi.

The festival opened with a welcome address by Shreesh Chandra, Founder and Director of OakBridge Publishing. Keynote addresses at the event were delivered by Attorney General for India R Venkataramani, Dr Manoj Kumar, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice, Dr Lalit Bhasin, President of the Society of Indian Law Firms, and Dr K K Khandelwal, Chief National Commissioner of the Bharat Scouts and Guides.

The festival also saw the release of two books, Scared Tiger Tales by Manoj Kumar and Unshackling the Elephant by Anand Prasad, Senior Partner at AP and Partners.

A global health initiative titled Aatman Samarpan was launched as well by Bithika Anand, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director, LLC, and Founder and CEO of Human Elevation.

In his keynote address, Attorney General Venkataramani spoke on the relationship between law, humanity, and justice. Reflecting on the growing influence of technology on human thought, he said modern systems are increasingly shaping how individuals think.

“A couple of years ago I started getting involved in issues relating to technology. I read a book titled, The World Without Mind, which talks about how technology can steal our minds and become the master of our thoughts. In many ways, that is already coming true. Modern machines and technology are stealing our minds. I call it modern theft,” he said.

Dr Manoj Kumar spoke on simplifying the language of law. He said legal processes must be accessible to citizens.

“We must make the law simple for every citizen of the country so that they are not dependent on intermediaries to understand their case or wait for a judgment to know what their rights are. Language is the primary vessel for the dispensation of justice. When the language of law is convoluted, justice is delayed,” he said.

Dr Lalit Bhasin spoke on opening the Indian legal sector to global investment and expertise. He said liberalisation must begin with strengthening legal education.

“I thank you for organising Vidhi Utsav. Utsav means festivities and it must go on. The progress you have made and the topics you have chosen reflect not just what is happening in India but also globally. Liberalisation of the legal profession can happen effectively only if we have that calibre of legal professionals and that begins with law schools,” he said.

He added that legal education in India must align with global standards and called for introspection by law schools and regulators.

Dr KK Khandelwal spoke on the role of administrators in creating legal awareness.

He said a people-centric approach to governance is essential.

“Law books do not build a just society. People do. Administrators do. Systems do. If even one citizen in one village feels that justice is within reach then our system has succeeded,” he said.

The two-day festival included panel discussions, workshops, book discussions and cultural events. It created space for dialogue on access to justice, legal reform and the future of the legal profession.