Dean, Faculty of Law

Prof. (Dr) Saumya Uma is a recipient of the prestigious British Chevening scholarship with over 32 years’ combined experience as an academic, law practitioner, researcher, writer, trainer, campaigner and research consultant, working at the intersections of gender, human rights and the law. Her areas of specialisation include International Criminal Law, International Human Rights Law, Family Law, and Feminist Jurisprudence. She has also researched, written and spoken on aspects of labour law, criminal law and constitutional law from a gender perspective.

She obtained her Ph.D. from National Law School of India (NLSIU) – the premier institution for legal education in India. Her first LL.M. in Human Rights & Family Law was from University of Mumbai and second LL.M. in International Human Rights was from the University of Nottingham, U.K. She obtained her B.A. LL.B (Hons.) from NLSIU.

Professor Uma writes and publishes extensively. She has authored twelve books, and edited/co-edited four volumes by reputed publishers such as the Oxford University Press, Routledge and Springer Nature. She has written over 80 articles in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, newspapers and popular online media platforms. Her latest book is titled Violence, Gender and the State: ‘Not Just’ a Legal Analysis (Routledge 2024). Her co-edited volume titled Gender-Just Family Laws and Feminist Engagements in South Asia: Resistance, Resilience and Reforms, which carries six of her co-authored chapters, is due to be published by Springer Nature in its SDG series in September 2026. As a trainer, she has conducted training programmes for police personnel, members of the armed forces and the judiciary, law practitioners and representatives of civil society organisations, on topics including anti-sexual harassment law, law prohibiting domestic violence, law related to child sexual offences and law prohibiting atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Professor Uma comes with expertise in nurturing, motivating and guiding undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students as well as early career and mid-career academics. Having been a former consultant to United Nations Development Fund (UNDP), United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (UNOHCHR) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), she maintains alliances with UN organisations. She also possesses strong alliances with the legal fraternity, academia in India and abroad, law practitioners, judicial academies, police training institutes, research think tanks and civil society organisations. Above all, she is committed to institution-building with a focus on academic rigour, research excellence and inclusive pedagogies.

Professor Uma has previously served for over six years at Jindal Global Law School (JGLS), O.P. Jindal Global University, where, as a Co-Director, she played a leadership role in shaping and strengthening its doctoral programme, apart from serving as Director of Centre for Women’s Rights (a research centre), Faculty Coordinator of Feminist Research Cluster, member of the advisory board of the Research Dean’s Office as well as a member of the Academic Review Board – which helps steer the governance of JGLS. Prior to JGLS, Dr. Uma has taught at School of Law, Governance and Citizenship at Dr. B.R.Ambedkar University Delhi, Maharashtra National Law University Mumbai and National Law School of India (Bengaluru).

Professor Uma can be reached at email: saumya.uma@jaipur.manipal.edu +91 9216025215