Twenty-three-year old genius Kerala lad, KV Krishnaprasad is over the moon these days. He recently passed out from the prestigious National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore with 13 gold medals for his amazing performance in school. He has participated in six national and international moot court competitions and have also published nine research articles till date. Among several other achievements, he was also the Chief Editor of National Law School of India Review (NLSIR), the flagship journal of NLSIU, 2011-12. GyanCentral's Ushnota Paul meets the star of the graduating batch for an exclusive tete a tete', who is now going to Oxford to pursue his dreams.
Congratulations! What is your success mantra?
In one word - hard work.
Can you please tell us in detail what are the 13 medals that you received?
Here is a brief description of the 13 medals:
a. Indira KhaitanGold Medal for having secured the first rank in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree.
b. Justice GovindarajachariGold Medal for the most meritorious student (including curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities) in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree.
c. Ms. Sarala Birla Gold Medal for the overall topper in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree.
d. ShanbogueRaghavendra and Subbalakshmamma Memorial Gold Medal for the Best Outgoing Student in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree.
e. Prof. P. ShivashankarGold Medal for securing the highest marks in Intellectual Property Law in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree.
f. Sita Ram Jhunjhunwala Gold Medal for securing the highest marks in Business and Corporate Laws in the in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree.
g. Laxmi Devi Jhunjhunwala Gold Medal for securing the highest marks in Criminal Law in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree.
h. DuttlalJhunjhunwala Gold Medal for securing the highest marks in International Law in the B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) degree.
i. Best Student Advocate Award for the most meritorious performance in moot course competitions in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree.
j. Prof. K. C. Gopalakrishna and Smt. SarojiniGopalakrishna Gold Medal for securing the highest marks in taxation law in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree.
k. Mr. H. V. SubbaRao Gold Medal for securing the highest marks in contracts law in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree.
l. Late Shri P. L. Nayak and Smt. Ramabhai L. Nayak Memorial Gold Medal for securing the highest marks in Procedural laws in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree.
m. Smt. SripadaSubbalakshmi and Sri. SripadaVaraprasadaRao Memorial Gold Medal for securing the highest marks in Healthcare Law and Ethics in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) degree.
You had secured rank 46 in the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). How did you prepare for the Common Law Admission Test?
There were no classroom coaching centers near my hometown in Kerala. So, I opted for a correspondence course with LST. I also solved several past papers, which helped me manage my time well in the examination.
Now, you are planning to join the Bachelor of Civil Law program at Oxford University. How does it feel like, to study in one of the world's best universities?
I am very thrilled, of course. I'm particularly excited because I intend to specialize in private law, and many of the world's biggest authorities in that field, teach at Oxford.
When did you decide to take up law as a career?
I narrowed down on law around the time I was studying in 10th grade. I used to participate in several public speaking, debates and elocution competitions in school. This helped me realize my passion for the process of argumentation. From there on, law was an easy choice.
Did you have any other career options in mind, or were you completely focused only in the field of law?
I certainly had other career options in mind. I think the option I was considering the most was music. I was trained in Carnatic Music for about 13 years by the time I joined law school, and had performed around 50 solo concerts. I also played keyboard for a professional group for six years. Naturally, I gave a serious thought of pursuing music full-time.
How many hours in a day did you study? Tell us your daily study schedule?
It really depended on how much work I had. During some moots for instance, I used to work for around 14 hours a day. There were also days in my final year when I had no work at all. On an average, however, I think seven to nine hours a day would be a good estimate.
Who do you thank for this success?
My parents. I am also grateful to National Law School of India University, Bangalore. Both academically and personally, I have gone through unbelievable changes in the last five years, and I owe almost everything that I know today to my law school. I am thankful to the faculty at NLSIU. Many of them have played a vital role in motivating me to pursue a career in academics. I am also immensely grateful to several of my seniors from law school, and I have to thank Mr. V. Niranjan and Mr. Gautam Bhatia in particular, for having more faith in my abilities more than myself.
Who has been your idol in life?
A. R. Rahman (smiles). My answer might seem unlikely for a lawyer, but for me he is a living vindication of the fact that success is the cumulative product of sustained hard word, dedication and passion towards one's profession. He personifies what Justice M.C. Chagla once said, "to be able to work with devotion at something one likes can be the greatest and most enduring source of human happiness."
What are your future plans?
I am joining the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) program at Oxford University this October. I intend to apply for the M. Phil and D. Phil courses at Oxford after that. Ultimately, I want to teach law.
Why do you want to take up teaching as career?
The initial inspiration came from the fact that both my parents are lecturers. But I also think that a profession that combines teaching and research let's one reflect on interesting issues in an area that you are genuinely fond of. Moreover, from the brief experience that I had as a teaching assistant at NLSIU, I realized that I thoroughly enjoy the process of interacting with students in a classroom.
Tell us about your life at NLSIU Bangalore. It is the top most law school in India. How was your experience as a student?
As an institution, NLSIU Bangalore has made the single greatest contribution to what I am today, both professionally and personally. Despite a rigorous academic schedule, the greatest attraction that NLSIU holds, in my opinion, is it's flexibility. From mooting to rock shows, debating to film clubs, opportunities are available in plenty, to help one pursue one's true passion. I chose to read law for a lot of my time at NLSIU, but there is no dearth of other (perhaps equally meritorious) options.
Don't you want to be a practicing lawyer or get into litigation ever?
I have not completely ruled out that option. I believe that practical experience can be an invaluable asset for an academic. So, I would be interested in a brief stint as a practitioner, sometime in future, either alongside teaching or otherwise.
Name any three qualities that a lawyer must have.
Ability to work hard, determination to succeed and common sense.
How much do you think these law entrances like CLAT, AILET, SET etc actually help in depicting a person's aptitude for law programs?
Law entrance examinations have obvious limitations, like limited scope for subjective questions and the inability to conduct personal interviews for candidates (in particular to assess their communication skills). But given the constraints, and in light of the enormous number of people who take these exams every year, I think the examination system is doing as good a job as possible.
Tell us something about yourself and your family.
My hometown is a place called Irinjalakuda in the Trichur District of Kerala. I did my schooling from Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, Irinjalakuda. Law and music are two of my greatest passions. I also enjoy travelling, especially with friends. I am the only son of my parents, who are both lecturers. My father teaches English and my mother, Mathematics.
How has the response been so far from friends, family, mentors, teachers?
It's been great! I particularly enjoy the fact that this has given me an opportunity to speak to a lot of people I haven't been in touch with lately. As far as mentors and teachers go, I cannot overstate how much I owe them.
Any suggestions you want to give to students aspiring to do law? Academic or non-academic?
Please give a careful thought to whether you are likely to enjoy the process of learning law. I think that determines how hard you will work during law school and after, and eventually, how well you do.
Do you ever see yourself in the black law uniform arguing a case in the court or giving legal advice to some company?
No. I wish to teach law. If I had to pick between these options, I would pick the former. However, contrary to what seems to be the popular perception, I don't think that there is anything dishonorable about giving legal advice to some company or transactional work in general.
So, where do you see yourself 10 years down the line?
Hopefully, teaching law in a good university and enjoying myself in the process.
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