Advisory Council and the CLRA Team

Advisory Council

Prof. N.R. Madhava Menon is a distinguished academic and is noted for his role in shaping national legal education policies and curriculum. Prof. Menon set up the Bangalore based National Law School, which has since become the basis for mainstream legal education throughout India. Professor Menon has held a number of distinguished positions on Expert Committees and he was the first Director of the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal. He has authored several books and has contributed over a hundred research articles and seminar papers on a wide variety of legal and judicial topics. Prof. Menon was honoured by the International Bar Association with the Living Legend of Law Award in 1994, and, recognising his contribution to public services, the President of India honoured Professor Menon with Padma Shree in 2003. He is presently serving as a Member of the Commission on Centre-State Relations established by the Government of India in 2007.

Prof. Ajay K. Mehra currently holds Ford Foundation Chair in Dalit Studies in the Jamia Millia Islamia (a Central University), New Delhi. An expert commentator on institutions, governance and Indian politics, he has authored and co-authored several books and has also edited and contributed articles to various journals and collections. He has been consultant to the World Bank and SIDA and has traveled widely on academic assignments. He is also the Honorary Director of the Centre for Public Affairs, New Delhi, a forum for debate and research promoted by leading scholars and policy thinkers.

Shri. Dinish Trivedi is a former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). A pilot by training, he secured his MBA from the University of Texas, USA and has worked as a management consultant. He has contributed several articles to leading newspapers and journals on various subjects including politics, economics, management etc. As a parliamentarian, Shri. Trivedi had held a number of positions of influence, including the Panel of the Vice- Chairman in the Rajya Sabha.

CLRA Team

Vinod Bhanu
Executive Director of CLRA: He has been a consultant/advisor to several organisations. His expertise includes parliamentary affairs, legislative advocacy, parliamentary development work. Mr. Bhanu is incharge for all activities of the CLRA and also coordinates activities of the Indian Medical Parliamentarians' Forum and other parliamentary groups. His areas of interest include Parliamentary studies, governance and public policy research.

Dr. R. Sugathan
Senior Fellow: He holds PhD and Postdoctorate in Philosophy from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He has been working with CLRA since november 2007 and coordinates research programmes at CLRA. Dr. Sugathan's areas of interest include development and public policy research.

Ms. Shailey Hingorani
Programme Manager; Research and Advocacy: Shailey has been working in CLRA since January, 2009. She is currently pursuing her Mphil in Political Science from JNU. She did her graduation in Journalism from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University and her Masters in Political Science from Jawarharlal University. Shailey has been closely associated with a number of civil society organisations and media groups and has worked on a number of issues ranging from women’s rights to livelihood concerns. Her current areas of interest are rights-based approaches to development, democracy and multiculturalism and public policy research.

Mr. Kaustubh Kr. Deka
Programme Manager; Research and Advocacy: Mr. Kaustubh Kr. Deka has joined CLRA in April 2010. He has been formerly associated with a number of research projects with institutions like the Harvard University , the Birmingham University and the CSDS as well as organisations like the DFID. He is currently pursuing his PhD. from the Centre of Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and has completed his Mphil and Masters from the same Centre. His preferred areas of interests include political economy of development, facets of democratic governance and linkages between identity and representation in India

Ms.Sanjeeta Gawri
Consultant: Ms. Sanjeeta Gawri has joined CLRA in June 2010. She has worked with Public Health Foundation of India. Sanjeeta has done Masters in Public Health in health policy and management from Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta. She is a recipient of prestigious Ford Foundation International Fellowship Program. She is a governing board member of IFPIAN (International Ford Program Indian Alumni Network). She was coordinating Women Empowerment project funded and assisted by World Bank/IFAD in Northern India. She had association with the Adolescent Reproductive Health Program supported by UNFPA in Central India and held responsibility as Project Manager in Tsunami Response Program in Andaman and Nicobar islands (German Agro Action Project). Her preferred areas of interests are nutrition, maternal and child health issues, parliamentary studies, and public policy research.

Ms. Persis Sidhva
Junior Research Fellow: She is currently pursuing her Law degree at Government Law College, Mumbai. Her interests include public policy research, educational and social issues.

Ms. Srilakshmi
She has joined CLRA in June 2010.She is graduated (BA-Hon's) from Delhi University. She is in charge of Administration and Account

Ms. Sushma Singh
Administrative Associate: Sushma joined CLRA in June 2010.She is graduated (BA-Pass) from Delhi University. She is assisting the Administration.

Mr. Mathew
Webmaster\Administrator: He has been working with CLRA since February 2009 as a webmaster and System administrator.

Ms. Vinita Kapoor
Office Assistant: