N. R. Madhava Menon

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Padma Shree Prof. N.R. Madhava Menon

N. R. Madhava Menon is a doyen of legal education in India, he was instrumental in setting up the National Law School of India University in Bangalore, and was its Founder-Director. He has since gone on to found other law schools based on the NLSIU model, most notably the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS) in Calcutta. He currently holds position of Director at the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, an institute for training of Judges. Known as one of the long-serving, popular legal educators of the country, an institution-builder, the architect of the five-year integrated LL.B. programme and the Founder Vice-Chancellor of two of the leading law universities of India (National Law School of India University, Bangalore and National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata), Prof. (Dr.) N.R. Madhava Menon has worked assiduously for nearly five decades to put Indian legal education at par with those of the developed countries.

As a member of the Legal Education Committee of the Bar Council of India and later as the first Secretary of the Bar Council Trust, Dr. Menon influenced the shaping of legal education policies particularly in respect of the integrated 5-Year LL.B. Degree Course facing many challenges from within and outside the profession. When the Bar Council of India floated the idea of a model law school in early 1980s, he took up the challenge and single-handedly set up the Bangalore-based National Law School teaching an innovative, integrated law curriculum which later became the mainstream legal education in the country and attracted attention of legal educators everywhere. Appreciating the efforts, the International Bar Association honoured Dr. Menon with the Living Legend of Law Award in 1994 followed by the Rotary Club Award for Vocational Excellence. The Bar Council of India presented a Plaque of Honour to Dr. Menon for his contribution to the legal profession and the Commonwealth Legal Education Association elected him as its President for a four year term (1994-98).

The National Law School of India University in 2001 conferred on Dr. Menon the degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) (Honoris Causa) and gave a citation which stated as follows:

“….. Revolutionizing Indian legal education has been the life’s mission of this true Karma Yogi who achieved what was widely considered an impossible task – establishing an institution of excellence in Indian legal education. Dr. N.R. Madhava Menon single handedly wrought fundamental change in Indian legal education and established a model that is today sought to be emulated across our country and in several other countries ….

It is but rarely that a University has the opportunity not only to honour a great scholar, a great teacher and a great leader, but also the very individual to whom it owes its existence and success; whose vision, courage and sacrifice lie at the core of its identity. We honour today the father of modern Indian legal education; we also record our deepest gratitude to our own Founding Father for his selfless dedication and hard work in the service of our beloved institution”.

One retirement let to another more challenging assignment which, in turn, to yet another one for Prof. Menon. Soon after relinquishing office after a ten-year tenure at Bangalore, Dr. Menon was invited by the West Bengal Government to set up the National University of Juridical Sciences on the lines of the Bangalore initiative. He joined NUJS as the first Vice-chancellor in 1999 and organized its infrastructure and programmes within a short period of five years (1999-2003).

Before Prof. Menon could complete his term in Kolkata, the Supreme Court of India asked Prof. Menon to assume charge as the first Director of the newly established all-India training institution for judges in Bhopal. Dr. Menon is the first Director of the National Judicial Academy which is now shaping policies and programmes for continuing education and training of superior court judges throughout the country, a task distinctly different from what he has been doing for the last four decades and more. From legal education to judicial education, from instructing law students to imparting training for judges, the transition put Prof. Menon on a new path of scholarship and institutional development in support of the judiciary.

Recognizing his contribution to public services, the President of India, Dr. A.P. Abdul Kalam honoured Dr. Menon on the occasion of the Republic Day (2003) with Padma Shree, the first such award to a law teacher in India.

Dr. Menon has been a Member of the Law Commission of India, Member of several Expert Committees including the one on Legal Aid (1973), Civil Services Examination Reform (2000-01) and Criminal Justice Reform (2002-03) appointed by the Government of India. He has been the Chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata and of the Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum. He is now serving on the Board of Governors of the International Organization of Judicial Trainers (IOJT) and also Advisor to the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute (Canada).

Prof. Madhava Menon is born and brought up in Trivandrum (Kerala) and is married to Smt. Rema Devi who is a housewife. Their son, Mr. R.K. Menon is an engineer settled in Bangalore. Author of several books, articles and monographs on a variety of legal subjects, Prof. Menon has taught law in over a dozen universities in India and abroad during a long academic career spanning nearly five decades.

Permanent Address Present Address

Prof.(Dr.) N.R. Madhava Menon Prof.(Dr.) N.R. Madhava Menon Devi Pripa Director Sai Ram Road, Poojapura National Judicial Academy Trivandrum – 695 012 Bhadbadha Road, Suraj Nagar-P.O. KERALA BHOPAL – 462 044 Tel: 91-471-2341762 Tel/Fax: 91-755-2696766/2696765 e-mail: menon_in_Bhopal@sancharnet.in