N. R. Madhava Menon

N. R. Madhava Menon
Menon in August 2007
Born(1935-05-04)4 May 1935
DiedMay 8, 2019(2019-05-08) (aged 84)
Alma materUniversity of Kerala (BSc, LLB)
Aligarh Muslim University (PhD)
Panjab University (MA)
Occupation(s)Legal educator, lawyer
Years active1956–2019
Known forFounding the National Law School of India University and the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences
SpouseRema Devi
ChildrenRamakrishna Menon
Parent(s)Ramakrishna Menon (Father)
Bhavani Amma (Mother)
AwardsPadma Shri (2003)
Padma Bhushan (2020)
Living Legend of Law
Plaque of Honour
Rotary Club Award for Vocational Excellence
Signature

Neelakanta Ramakrishna Madhava Menon (4 May 1935 – 8 May 2019) was an Indian civil servant, lawyer and legal educator, considered by many as the father of modern legal education in India.[1] He is the founder of National Law Universities system and first director of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) and the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal and the founder-vice-chancellor of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS).[2][3][4] He has also served as Chairman of Indian Statistical Institute from 2002 to 2003.

Menon was awarded the Padma Shri in 2003[5] and Padma Bhushan in 2020 by the Government of India.

He was a member of the Law Commission of India and also member of several expert Committees including on Legal Aid (1973), Civil Services Examination Reform (2000-2001), and Criminal Justice Reform (2002-2003), Police Act Drafting Committee (2005-2006) and the Committee on Draft National Policy on Criminal Justice (2006-2007) and Committee on Restructuring of Higher Education in India appointed by the Government of India. He was a Central Secretariat Service officer. The new academic block of NLSIU is named after him.[6]

  1. ^ Vivek Nair (16 September 2009). Prof (Dr) N R Madhava Menon (Documentary). YouTube. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021.
  2. ^ Menon, N. R. Madhava (2009). The Story of a Law Teacher: Turning Point. Universal Law Publishing. ISBN 9788175348189.
  3. ^ "Business Week". Business Week. 2000. Archived from the original on 18 August 2000. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Miles to Go". Legally India. 18 September 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  5. ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Padma Awards. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  6. ^ Srivastava, Jyoti (9 February 2022). "Infrastructural Upgrades on the National Law School of India University Campus, Bangaluru". Indian Law Watch. Retrieved 19 August 2024.