Biography

Prof. Eesha Mohapatra is a faculty member at Jindal Global Law School, where she teaches Procedural Law (Criminal and Civil) as compulsory courses, alongside an elective course Bail or Jail: Understanding the Bail Laws of India - a subject she is deeply passionate about and has researched extensively.

Professional Background

Prior to joining academia, Prof. Mohapatra had a distinguished litigation practice spanning the Supreme Court of India, the High Courts of Delhi and Bombay, and several specialized tribunals including the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), National Green Tribunal, and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
She trained and practiced in the chambers of Ms. Justice Indu Malhotra (prior to her elevation to the Supreme Court), through which she appeared in numerous significant matters before the apex court. During this period, she also assisted in drafting the procedural guidelines governing the Internal Sub-Committee of the Gender Sensitization & Internal Complaints Committee (GSICC) of the Supreme Court of India.

Landmark Cases & Notable Contributions:

Prof. Mohapatra was part of the legal team representing the petitioner in the landmark judgment ABC v. The State (NCT of Delhi), reported in (2015) 10 SCC 1. In this case, a Division Bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Vikramjit Sen and Justice Abhay Sapre held that an unwed Christian mother is entitled to be the sole legal guardian of her child under Section 11 of the Guardians and Wards Act, without requiring the father’s consent or disclosure of his identity. The judgment was widely recognized as a progressive affirmation of the rights of unwed mothers.

She also appeared on behalf of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in a Public Interest Litigation filed by NGO Prajwala against the Union of India. A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, in that matter, constituted a high-level committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary, Ministry of Women & Child Development, to draft comprehensive legislation on human trafficking - encompassing prevention, rescue, post-rescue rehabilitation, victim protection protocols, and shelter home provisions - with a clear mandate to treat rescued victims as victims, not offenders.

In 2015, Prof. Mohapatra joined M/s Karanjawala & Co. as a Senior Associate, where she was part of the legal team representing Tata Sons Ltd. in the high-profile corporate dispute with the late Mr. Cyrus Mistry - appearing before the NCLT and NCLAT in the petition for oppression and mismanagement filed against Tata Sons Ltd.

Academic & Administrative Roles

Prof. Mohapatra currently serves as the Program Director of the B.A. LL.B. program at JGLS, where she oversees the academic administration and affairs of the programme.

Beyond the classroom, Prof. Mohapatra has conducted training programs for IAS officers on civil litigation and injunction law. She served as Faculty Coordinator for the Jindal-Oxford Short Term Study Abroad Program at Somerville College, University of Oxford, in 2018, 2019, and 2022, and as Assistant Dean of International Collaborations at JGLS from 2018 to 2020.