Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], October 1:: Parul University held the fourth edition of its flagship legal conclave, Samvidhaan Pe Charcha 4.0. The event was attended by eminent members of the judiciary, senior advocates, legal professionals and law students for a series of discussions on constitutional values, contemporary legal questions and the changing landscape of law. The conclave had expert addresses, interactive sessions, PU Talks, workshops and competitive platforms, giving students an opportunity to interact with the legal fraternity beyond the classroom.
The proceedings featured Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vipul M. Pancholi, Judge, Supreme Court of India, Hon’ble Mr. Justice D.N. Ray, Judge, High Court of Gujarat, Hon’ble Mr. Justice N.S. Sanjay Gowda, Judge, High Court of Gujarat, Shri Gaurav Bhatia, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India and National Spokesperson, BJP, Ms. Mahalakshmi Pavani, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India, and Ms. Anitha Shenoy, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India, alongside other distinguished members of the legal fraternity. Their presence provided an opportunity for aspirant lawyers to hear first hand the views of the judiciary and to learn about the practical aspects of legal education and advocacy.
Reflecting on the relevance of constitutional principles to the legal profession and spotlighting the future lawyers, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi said, “A law school has a responsibility not merely to impart legal knowledge but also to nurture professional ethics, constitutional values and social responsibility. Therefore, the lawyer of the future must not only know the law but also understand the society and technology within which the law operates. As future advocates, remember that advocacy is not merely about winning but about assisting the court in reaching a just and legally sound conclusion.”
Addressing the audience, Hon’ble Mr. Justice D.N. Ray shared his perspective on constitutional and legal issues along with his thoughts on how today’s youth is facing the challenges that come with the fast growing world. He said “ In this age of instant gratification and instant success, please be prepared to fail, which is the most important lesson which nobody will ever tell you. It is okay to fail. There’s no problem. So the most important thing is to fail and to live on with all these experiences and to understand that there is no competition which you are actually fighting. Your only competitor is You yourself.”
The proceedings also included an interactive engagement followed by a PU Talk by Shri Gaurav Bhatia, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India and National Spokesperson, BJP on “The Living Constitution: Democracy, Rule of Law & Changing Landscape of Fundamental Rights”. This session discussed the relevance of the constitutional principles and the changing understanding of the basic rights in contemporary India. Bringing the discourse closer to the present constitutional scenario and emphasizing the need to understand constitutional principles within the framework of an evolving society, he said “ The Constitution is a document which talks about equality, liberty, fraternity, justice. What is the purpose of life if you can’t be treated with dignity? More important than even existence. Life is not about breathing. Life is about adding soul to your lifespan, and dignity is that soul.”
Talking to the students on the topic of the Indian Constitution then, now, and tomorrow, Hon’ble Mr. Justice N.S. Sanjay Gowda, Judge, High Court of Gujarat, said “ A constitution is a document which basically creates us. The basic requirement of the constitution is not to tell us what we can do, but what we cannot and we should not do.”
On the occasion, Dr. Devanshu Patel, President, Parul University said, “Samvidhaan Pe Charcha is an endeavor to bring constitutional thought into meaningful dialogue with the next generation of legal professionals. By meeting judges, advocates and experts, students gain perspectives that complement their academic learning and that motivate them to take a more active interest in the principles, responsibilities and realities of the legal profession.”
The conclave also acknowledged the performance of law students of Parul University in various prestigious national competitions. Sachidanand Patil, Jay Gawalni and Ishant Suthar, winners of 11th Shri N. J. Yasaswy Memorial Moot Court Competition 2026 hosted by ICFAI Law School, Hyderabad were congratulated along with Priyodarshini Roy, Best Speaker at National Moot Court Competition 2026 organised by Innovation Institute of Law, New Delhi. Kunj Prajapati also received a Special Mention at the largest debate conference of JG University, Gujarat and Swayam Prakash Shukla won a Bronze Verbal Mention in AIPPM.
Moot Court Competition was the continuation of the competitive proceedings of Samvidhaan Pe Charcha 4.0, with Quarter Final and Semi-Final rounds being held in English and Gujarati, offering a practical platform for students to put their legal research, argumentation and advocacy skills into practice in front of experienced legal professionals.
The academic program also featured workshops on “Innovation Vs. Regulation: Finding the Constitutional Balance in the Digital Economy” by Mr. Nihit Nagpal and “Samvidhan or Adhikar: Equality, Liberty & Dignity in Contemporary India” by Mr. Zafar Khurshid. The competitions in English and Gujarati provided students with a chance to put their legal reasoning and advocacy skills to the test in a competitive environment.
The three-day conclave concluded with addresses by senior members of the judiciary, an interactive session of Q&A with students and the felicitation and prize distribution of participants. Hon’ble Mr. Justice Surendra Pandey, Judge, Patna High Court, spoke on constitutional values, human dignity and judicial responsibility and asked students to think about litigation and contribute to the justice-delivery system. He reminded them, adding “ You don’t have to become enemies only because the other person has a different point of view,” and added “The judges do not own the constitution. they have just been given the duty to interpret it. It’s owned by all of us.”
Justice Soman Sen, Chief Justice, Kerala High Court, shared his views on Fundamental Rights, Article 21, constitutional morality, the Emergency, basic structure and challenges presented by new technologies. He said, “We may leave this auditorium today, but the constitution cannot remain inside it.” He also stressed the importance of thought and reasoning in legal advocacy: “The strength of an argument does not come from the volume in which it is delivered, but from the quality of thought behind it.”
Speaking about the career paths of young lawyers, Justice N. Koteshwar Singh, Judge, Supreme Court of India, advised the students to look into the emerging areas like AI, cybercrime, forensic science and patents and also advised them not to make money their first priority. “Don’t think of money when you start,” he said and stressed “The most important is the dignity of the individuals. That is the core.” His advice to the students was simple: “Be a smart lawyer.”
Students asked questions on regional diversity in the judiciary, social media algorithms, delays in criminal trials, religious and civil disputes, prolonged incarceration, NDPS cases and the right to speedy trial during the last interaction. The event culminated with the prize distribution of 3rd State Moot Court Competition (Gujarati) and 4th Inter-University Moot Court Competition 2026 with the prize money of Rs 15,000 to Rs 60,000 in the former and Rs 40,000 to Rs 1.75 lakh in the latter.
Samvidhaan Pe Charcha 4.0 united judicial wisdom, professional perspectives and student advocacy, providing law students with a platform to engage with the Constitution, contemporary legal questions and the realities of the justice system through dialog, competition and direct interaction with leading legal minds.
