Gautam Kumar

Gautam is an Assistant Professor of Law at UPES School of Law, Dehradun, with a focus on bridging academic discourse and impactful social research. Previously, he served as a Research Associate at National Law University, Delhi, where his research encompassed constitutional literacy, gender rights, and advocacy for tribal land and forest rights. With a background in Law and Development and a range of research projects, Gautam combines extensive field experience with scholarly insight to his role. He actively collaborates with civil society organizations and policy think tanks, advancing initiatives in access to justice, climate justice, social advocacy, and policy reform.

Gautam’s experience spans roles as a Research Associate at National Law University Delhi (2023-24), and as a Program Manager at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), Ahmedabad (2022-23). His work has primarily focused on capacity building, community outreach, and legal advocacy with research projects across northeastern, southern and central Indian states. His expertise encompasses research on tribal land and forest rights, prisoner’s rights, domestic violence and gender rights, study of social movements cantered around civil liberties complemented by extensive fieldwork with marginalized communities.

Gautam’s research interests lie in access to justice, law and development, energy and climate justice, and the intersection of law with literature and cinema. His work explores the legal empowerment of marginalized groups and examines how legal frameworks can better support sustainable development and social equity. 

Gautam believes in an interdisciplinary approach to legal education, aiming to foster critical thinking and social consciousness in students. He emphasizes practical applications of legal concepts to help students develop as informed and empathetic legal professionals.

Gautam teaches courses in Indian Constitutional Law, Energy and Environmental Law, and Election Laws, among others, providing students with insights into the role of law in addressing contemporary social challenges.

• Research project by Azim Premji Foundation and National Law University Delhi titled, “Un-othering the ‘other’ in Law and Development discourse: A study of social movements and property rights of Adivasis in Chhattisgarh.”
• Research project by National Commission for Women, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India and National Law University Delhi titled, “Study of Institutional Structures for Rehabilitation of Domestic Violence Survivors.”
• Project by United Nations Development Programme and EPCO, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of Madhya Pradesh for “Development of capacity-building modules for district-level officials in Madhya Pradesh.”
• “Study to evaluate the impact of social audits in rural districts of Madhya Pradesh” A project by Vikash Samvad Samiti and Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of Madhya Pradesh.  
• “A study to assess the impact and progress of MP Youth Policy 2023 in comparison with other state's youth policy in light of National Youth Policy” A project by Synergy Sansthan.  
• “Development of a module on behavioural change for sustainable plastic waste management and climate action” A joint project of Airbus India, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun and SDC Foundation.
• “Intervention to build career awareness and provide education support for social impact in Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh” A project by SDC Foundation and The Analysis Law and Policy Consulting. 

• Un-othering the ‘other’ in Law and Development discourse: A study of social movements and property rights of Adivasis in Chhattisgarh, Centre for Law, Justice and Development, National Law University, Delhi (forthcoming)
• Study of Institutional Structures for Rehabilitation of Domestic Violence Survivors, Centre for Law, Justice and Development, National Law University, Delhi (forthcoming).  
• A Comparative Study of privacy and Data Protection: The Contemporary Status and future of privacy laws in India, in ‘Digitalization and Law - Regulations, Implications, and Challenges’, Thomson Reuters (forthcoming)  
• Constitution and environment: How can citizens use law in their fight against unsustainable development in Making Molehills of Mountains by Anoop Nautiyal, M/s Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh (forthcoming)  
• Unravelling Nationalism & Patriotism: Love for Your Country or Hate for the Others? Centre for Human Rights and Subaltern Studies (CHRSS), National Law University, Delhi (ISBN 978-93-84272-22-7)  
• State within a State: Analyzing the Issues and Challenges of Autonomous Councils in ‘Autonomy and Democratic Governance in Northeast India’, edited by M. Amarjeet Singh, Routledge India (ISBN 978-03-67720-36-0) 

gautam.kumar@ddn.upes.ac.in