Santvana Kumar
Assistant Professor

Santvana Kumar, Assistant Professor of Law at IILM University, Gurugram, is a dedicated academic with a PhD in Women’s Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University. Specializing in Feminist Legal Theory, Subaltern Studies, and Socio-Legal Analysis, her work explores the intersections of Law, Gender, and Caste in India.
As a former Research Fellow and Project Lead at the Centre for Law, Justice, and Development (National Law University Delhi), Santvana conducted impactful policy-oriented research on gender, law, human rights, and social justice. Notably, she collaborated with the National Commission for Women (NCW) on the Rehabilitation of Domestic Violence Survivors Scheme, and with the Ministry of Law and Justice (Department of Justice) on projects related to legal literacy and awareness regarding violence against women in Uttar Pradesh. These experiences highlight her commitment to addressing gender-based violence and advancing social justice through comprehensive research and collaboration.

Santvana Kumar’s academic achievements include receiving the University Grants Commission (UGC) Junior Research Fellowship & Senior Research Fellowship in Human Rights and Duties, achieving All India Rank 1 in 2015, as well as being a recipient of the National Eligibility Teaching Exam (NET) in 2015.

She was selected as one of the 20 international academicians & legal practitioners by the Hague Academy of International Law for their External Program in October 2013, she has been a member of the British Association of South Asian Scholars since May 2021.

Santvana-Kumar

Qualification

  • Ph.D., Centre for Women’s Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University
    – Topic: Conceptualising Dalit Women’s Experience and Identity: A Socio-Legal Study
  • M.Phil., Centre for Women’s Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University
    – Topic: The Intersection of Caste and Gender BasedViolence: A Critical Reading of the Indian Law
  • UGC NET & JRF
  • LL.M., National Law Institute University Bhopal
    – Specialisation: Human Rights Law
  • P.G. Diploma, Indian Society of International Law
    – Specialisation: International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law, & Refugee Law
  • LL.B., Campus Law Centre, Delhi University
  • B.A. (Honours), Centre for German Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University
    – Specialisation: German Language and Literatu

Research and Scholarly Publication

  • Kumar, Santvana. “The Dominant Post-Constitutional Indian Feminist Discourse: A Critique of its Intersectional Reading of Caste and Gender.” Caste: A Global Journal on Social Exclusion (Peer-reviewed), April [2022]
  • Kumar, Santvana. “Caste and Gender: A Systemic Obliteration of Justice.” Akademi Mag, October 2020.
  • Kumar, Santvana. “A Dalit Woman’s Body in the Indian Courtroom.” Feminism in India, April 2020.
  • Kumar, Santvana. “Violence Against Dalit Women: A Human Rights Praxis.” International Journal of Advanced Contemporary Research, April 2015.

Workshops and Conferences

  • Chair &Panelist Brandeis University, USA & Supreme Court of India (October 2023)
    – The Sixth International Conference on the Unfinished Legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: Law, Caste, and the Pursuit of Justice
    – Paper: Unravelling “Indeterminacy” and “Atrocity”: Implications for Dalit Women in the Prevention of Atrocities Act
  • Resource Person and Organizer for Workshops by Centre for Law, Justice, and Development – National Law University, Delhi
    – Theme: Legal Awareness with Regard to Violence against Women in Law Colleges- Six Districts Uttar Pradesh
    – Organized by
    – Varanasi, January 2023
  • Resource Person- Indian Association for Women’s Studies Residential Workshop on Feminist Research Methodologies
    – Conducted Sessions on Feminist Legal Theory and Methodology and Doing Research – Intersectional Perspective
    – Organized by Women’s Studies Centre, Ranchi University, December 2022
  • Participant- Centre for Law, Justice, and Development – National Law University, Delhi, September 2022
    – Workshop on Law, Development, and Sustainability (Faculty Development Program)
  • Presenter- British Association of South Asian Scholars, May 2021
    – Workshop on Violence- Presented Research on Violence and Identity through Field Work Experiences in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh
  • Panelist- Akademimag’s Talk “Criminalizing Dalit Dissent”, February 2021
    – with Meena Kandasamy, Nihal Singh Rathod, & Siddhesh Gautam

Admissions Open for 2024
Interview Schedule