Leiden-Sarin air law moot: Delhi, Kolkata universities win national round, qualify for finals

The national rounds of the AIL-Sarin National Round of the 17th Leiden-Sarin International Air Law Moot Court Competition concluded at the Army Institute of Law on Friday, with National Law University, Delhi, and West Bengal National University of Judicial Sciences, Kolkata, emerging joint winners and securing spots in the international finals in Namibia from April 17 to 19.

The event was inaugurated by gormer Justice Ritu Bahri (retd), former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court, who underlined the expanding opportunities in aviation law driven by rapid growth in the aviation sector. She praised the Sarin Memorial Legal Aid Foundation for giving young lawyers early exposure to a specialised and fast-growing field.

Sharing her personal journey, Bahri said she chose law despite family expectations to pursue a different discipline, adding that the decision pushed her to explore her full potential. She also stressed the need for stronger social and legal support systems for families of defence personnel, who lose their lives, noting the hardships many such families face.

The function was presided over by Justice SS Sodhi (retd), president of the Sarin Memorial Legal Aid Foundation, which organises the annual international moot court competition focused on aviation law.

Announcing the results, ML Sarin said 20 teams participated in the national rounds. NLU Delhi and NUJS Kolkata were declared winners and will represent India at the international finals. The Best Mooter of the Year Award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a trophy, was jointly awarded to Palak Shukla and Poorva Dhanashri Biswal of the Army Institute of Law.

Sarin said the Sarin Memorial Legal Aid Foundation was set up in memory of HL Sarin and RL Sarin, and is run by young lawyers and law students. The foundation works to promote legal literacy, take up issues of public importance, and train young lawyers in air law through international moot court competitions.

Tejinder Kaur, principal of the Army Institute of Law, lauded the foundation for consistently giving students practical exposure to litigation skills through regular moot court competitions.