Society for the Advancement of Animal and Environmental Welfare (SAAEW), National Law University Odisha invites participation in the 2nd SAAEW Essay Writing Competition 2026. The competition aims to encourage students to engage with contemporary legal and ethical questions surrounding animal welfare, animal rights, and the commercial exploitation of animals.

CENTRAL THEME

Commodification of Animals

Participants are invited to submit original essays examining the legal and ethical boundaries between protecting animals and treating them as commodities, with particular attention to wildlife trade, captivity, private ownership, and the commercialisation of animals.

INDICATIVE SUB-THEMES

• Animals as Commodities: Examining the legal status of animals, the limits of ownership rights, and whether animals should be recognised beyond their status as property.
• Wildlife Trafficking and Illegal Animal Trade: Exploring the legal and environmental consequences of illegal wildlife markets.
• Animals in Captivity: Examining animal welfare concerns arising from zoos, aquariums, private collections, and other forms of captivity.
• The Pet Industry: Addressing commercial breeding, the sale of companion animals, and ownership practices.
• Industrial Animal Farming: Analysing the treatment of animals as economic resources in the meat, dairy, and poultry industries.
• Animal-Based Tourism: Exploring the conflict between economic benefits, wildlife tourism, and animal welfare.
• Biodiversity and the Commodification of Nature: Examining how the commercial exploitation of animals affects ecosystems and biodiversity.

ELIGIBILITY

The competition is open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing a degree in any discipline at a recognised university, college, or institution across India.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Last Date for Registration: 15^th November 2026
• Essay Submission Deadline: 31^st December 2026

REGISTRATION & SUBMISSION

• Single Authorship: ₹300
• Co-Authorship: ₹500

Interested participants are required to complete the registration process by 15^th November 2026. Registered participants must submit their essays through the designated submission form, which will be shared with their registered email IDs.

For detailed information please refer to the attached competition brochure.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

The competition features a total cash prize pool of ₹13,000.

All participants will receive Certificates of Participation, while the Top Five entries will be awarded Certificates of Merit. Selected essays may also be considered for publication in NLUO university journals, subject to the respective editorial and review processes.

OVERVIEW OF THE INSTITUTION

National Law University Odisha, Cuttack was established by Act 4 of 2008 by the Odisha State Legislature keeping in mind an enunciated vision of advancement of learning, teaching, research, diffusion of knowledge in the field of law and catering to the needs of society by developing the professional skills of those intending to take up the professions of Advocacy, Judicial Services, Legal services, and so on. National Law University, Odisha is committed to providing an atmosphere in which academic excellence is the foremost priority for students. Along the lines of this vision, NLUO has significantly catered to the needs of the research in various legal fields by paving way for various dedicated research centers and societies. Such endeavors enable students to pursue individual interests and take part in various literary and recreational activities throughout the academic year.

The Kautilya Society NLUO is one of such initiatives of NLUO which aims at promoting study, research, and informed deliberation in the field of public policy, with an application-oriented and information-dissemination purpose.

ABOUT KAUTILYA SOCIETY NLUO

Kautilya Societies are student initiatives in universities across the country set up by Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy (“Vidhi”) with the aim to widen access to legislative drafting and analysis, and to empower young minds to explore public policy as a career path. The Kautilya Society, NLUO Chapter has been set up at National Law University Odisha, in association with Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

The Kautilya Society initiative envisions providing opportunities to their students for successful careers in public policy and other related fields such as development, advocacy, consultancy, campaigning, financial analysis, economics and research. The vision of the society is to provide awareness and opportunities for students to nurture their interest in public service and policy as career options with a view to becoming good citizens of India.

EVENT DETAILS

Introduction

The Kautilya Society NLUO, in collaboration with the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy (‘Vidhi’), is pleased to invite you to a Panel Discussion titled, “Beyond Individual Distress: Re-evaluating Mental Health as a Social and Structural Crisis in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs)” on 6th September 2026 via Google Meet

For decades, institutional responses to student distress in higher education have defaulted to a biomedical or clinical framework, treating mental health challenges primarily as individual psychological vulnerabilities. However, the alarming rise in student distress across Higher Educational Institutions indicates that individual-centric models are insufficient. Taking inspiration from the Report submitted by Vidhi in collaboration with Kautilya Society fellows to the National Task Force on Mental Health of Student and Prevention of Suicides in HEIs, this discussion aims to shift the focus from viewing student mental health as an isolated medical issue to diagnosing it as a structural, social, and institutional crisis.

About the Panellists

Dr. Debadutta Mohapatra

Dr. Debadutta Mohapatra is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry, psychopharmacology, consultation-liaison psychiatry, and rehabilitation psychiatry. An accomplished researcher and clinician, she has authored 47 PubMed-indexed publications and 3 book chapters, led 15 ICMR-funded research projects alongside 8 other funded studies, and delivered over 50 presentations across national and international platforms. Her distinguished contributions to the field have earned her numerous accolades, including the Best Researcher Award at AIIMS Bhubaneswar for three consecutive years (2023–2025), the Late Prof. Dr. G. C. Boral Memorial Award, and a fellowship in brain stimulation at NIMHANS, Bangalore. In addition to her clinical and research work, Dr. Mohapatra holds several leadership roles, serving as the Honorary Secretary of the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) Odisha State Branch, Convenor of the IPS Child Psychiatry Specialty Section, and Co-Chairperson of the IPS Publication Subcommittee.

Shireen Yachu

Shireen Yachu is a Senior Resident Fellow, Health at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. Her work focuses on end-of-life care, advance care planning, suicide prevention & mental health, and gender rights. Prior to joining Vidhi, she worked at the Office of Dr Virander Singh Chauhan on issues surrounding gender rights, health policy, and education. She holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics. Her areas of interest include public health, gender rights, education, and environment.

Pratyay Panigrahi

Pratyay is a Research Fellow in the Founders’ Office at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Delhi. He holds an LLM from the London School of Economics and a BA LLB (Hons) from the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata. He is interested in public law, with a special emphasis on civil rights, institutional accountability and comparative constitutional law. Prior to joining Vidhi, he has worked as a full-time Research Assistant to a Senior Advocate, as an Occasional Research Assistant at the London School of Economics and as a Regulatory Analyst at RegGenome.

Somya S. Mohapatra

Somya S. Mohapatra is a Mental Health Expert with 15 years of experience in Psychotherapy, Counselling and Training in the field of Mental Health – Awareness, Prevention and Treatment. At present she works as the Chief Psychologist at Manam Foundation. She has been actively involved in Training sessions with the Government of Odisha (Tele-Manas/Odisha Correctional Institutions/Schools, Colleges), the Public Health Foundation of India, the UNICEF and other non-profit organization and Corporates for Mental Health Awareness, Adolescents’ Mental Health Care and Suicide Prevention. She is a MSW Graduate from TISS Mumbai and has a Psychological Counselling PG certification from CCC, Vellore. She is a Life Member of Association of Psychological Counselling and has a paper publication there as well. She excels in Interactive Learning Sessions with persons of varied age groups, cultures and interdisciplinary studies and exposure. Apart from Therapy Counselling she loves writing articles, cooking, dancing and travelling to nature sites.

Event Schedule and Eligibility

Date: 6th September 2026 (Sunday)

Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Platform: Google Meet

Joining Link: https://meet.google.com/sbk-gofp-qky

Eligibility: Open to all students, faculty, and external participants.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For any queries you can mail the Society at ksociety@nluo.ac.in

Further, you can contact the persons below:

Convenor: Aryan Chowdhury (+91 8318262740)

Co-Convenor: Nidhi Rai (+91 9560392741)

Flyer 

The Alternative Dispute Resolution Board, National Law University Odisha is organising the third edition of its flagship event, the NLUO National Negotiation Competition, from 3rd to 5th April 2026  at the University campus.

About the Competition

The competition will commence with a Negotiation Plan Qualifier round. All regis tered teams are required to submit a negotiation plan based on the general information released by the Board. This written submission will be evaluated, and the top twenty four teams will
qualify for the on campus rounds. Registrations have now concluded, and we have received a total of 90 team registrations from institutions across the country. Out of these, 24 teams will advance to the offline rounds.

The on campus rounds will be conducted from 3rd to 5th April 2026 and will include Preliminary Rounds followed by Advanced Rounds comprising Octa Finals, Quarter Finals,Semi Finals, and the Final Round.

Collaborators

The competition has secured the support of several leading law firms as partners, namely Luthra and Luthra Law Offices, Nishith Desai Associates, Dentons Link Legal, Phoenix Legal, Fox Mandal and Associates, Remfry and Sagar, Stratage Law Partners, Kachwaha and Partners, Sagus Legal, and Khurana and Khurana. Our In House Partner for the event is Axis Max Life Insurance. The competition is also supported by our Knowledge Partners, namely Mediate Guru, the Indian Institute of Arbitration and Mediation, CADRE ODR, YCM, Lawctopus Law School, and the Foundation for Comprehensive Dispute Resolution. Our Media Partners for the event are Lawctopus and Manupatra.

Register for LUMINA, a photography competition to explore the artistry behind the lens and immerse yourself in captivating stories through each picture. The event is organised by the Social Media Committee (SMC) in collaboration with the Centre for Disability Law and Advocacy (CDLA) at National Law University Odisha (NLUO).

ABOUT NLUO: National Law University Odisha (NLUO) was established in 2009 under the National Law University Orissa Act, 2008. Located in Cuttack, Odisha, the University is recognized by the University Grants Commission under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956. NLUO fosters academic excellence and encourages students to develop leadership and creativity through a wide range of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

ABOUT THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMMITTEE (SMC): The SMC of NLUO is a student-run body responsible for showcasing the University’s activities and achievements across digital platforms. From capturing events through photography and videography to managing official channels, SMC presents campus life to a wider audience and organizes creative initiatives like photography competitions.

ABOUT THE CENTRE FOR DISABILITY LAW AND ADVOCACY (CDLA): The CDLA was established to support research and teaching initiatives in the field of law to work towards the implementation of disability rights and social justice. The Centre aims to create awareness for the rights of Persons with disability through a vibrant community of dedicated teachers and students.

ABOUT THE COMPETITION: The competition invites participants to interpret campus life creatively. Submissions will be reviewed by the Faculty Advisors of the Organising Team to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability. Note that SMC will retain the right to use the submitted pictures as and when required.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 25th MARCH, 2026

ELIGIBILITY: OPEN EXCLUSIVELY TO ALL INTERESTED PARTICIPANTS OF NLUO

THEMES:

Participants may submit photographs based on the following suggestive themes (participants are encouraged to interpret campus life creatively within or beyond these themes):

• Beyond the Books: Life at Campus
• Campus Kaleidoscope
• Moments Between the Lectures

IMPORTANT DATES:

• 25 March, 2026: Submission Deadline
• 05 April, 2026: Result Announcement Date (Tentative)

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Each participant may submit only one entry consisting of three (3) photographs of their choice.
• A short description explaining the essence, inspiration, and story of the photographs must be submitted via the dedicated section in the Google Form.
• All submissions must be in high-resolution format with a maximum file size of 100MB per photograph.
• Files must be named using the format: ParticipantName_1.jpeg (e.g., Jane Doe_1.jpeg).
• Photographs from all devices (professional cameras or mobile phones) are welcome.
• No watermarks, signatures, or time-stamps are permitted to ensure blind judging.
• Members of the SMC and CDLA are not eligible to participate, as they are part of the organizing team.

EDITING GUIDELINES:

• Basic post-processing (cropping, standard colour correction, and minor brightness/contrast/saturation adjustments) is allowed.
• Heavy editing, adding or removing elements, and any form of AI-generated or AI-edited images will result in immediate disqualification.

REGISTRATION, FEES, AND PRIZES:

• Registration Fee: There is no registration fee.
• 1st Prize: ₹3000
• 2nd Prize: ₹2000
• 3rd Prize: ₹1000
• All participants will receive an e-certificate of participation.
• Winning photographs will be showcased on NLUO’s official social media platforms and the University website.

To access the Registration Form kindly click the Link for Google Form or scan the QR Code on the Link for Brochure.

To know more about the competition kindly refer to the brochure attached below: Link for Brochure

For any queries, please feel free to contact us:

• Email: smc@nluo.ac.in
• Ritwik Rudra (Convenor of SMC, NLUO): +91 82715 42140
• Roshan Kumar Behera (Co-Convenor of SMC, NLUO): +91 89173 95295

Join the Interactive Session on “From NLUO to Civil Services: Inspiring Pathways to Public Leadership” to gain inspiration, practical insights, and the confidence to explore pathways from NLUO to Civil Services. The event is presented by the Centre for Disability Law and Advocacy (CDLA) in collaboration with the Social Media Committee (SMC) at National Law University Odisha (NLUO).

ABOUT NLUO: National Law University Odisha (NLUO) was established in 2009 under the National Law University Orissa Act, 2008. Located in Cuttack, Odisha, the University is recognized by the University Grants Commission under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956. NLUO fosters academic excellence and encourages students to develop leadership and creativity through a wide range of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

ABOUT THE CENTRE FOR DISABILITY LAW AND ADVOCACY (CDLA): The CDLA was established to support research and teaching initiatives in the field of law to work towards the implementation of disability rights and social justice. The Centre aims to create awareness for the rights of Persons with disability through a vibrant community of dedicated teachers and students.

ABOUT THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMMITTEE (SMC): The SMC of NLUO is a student-run body responsible for showcasing the University’s activities and achievements across digital platforms. From capturing events through photography and videography to managing official channels, SMC presents campus life to a wider audience and engages with visiting dignitaries.

ABOUT THE SESSION & SPEAKER: This highly anticipated interactive session features esteemed NLUO alumna Saista Parwin (BA LL.B., Batch of 2019), who achieved a remarkable UPSC Rank 614. She will be returning to campus to share her inspiring journey and provide actionable guidance for students aspiring to transition from law school into public leadership and the civil services.

EVENT DETAILS:

• DATE: 24th MARCH 2026
• TIME: 4:30 PM ONWARDS
• VENUE: SEMINAR HALL, NLU ODISHA

TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SESSION KINDLY REFER TO THE POSTER ATTACHED:  Link for Poster

FOR ANY QUERIES, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US:

• Email: smc@nluo.ac.in
• Ritwik Rudra (Convenor of SMC, NLUO): +91 82715 42140