Anand and Anand brought India’s first Nobel laureate for physics, Sir CV Raman, back to life via a hologram as part of its centenary celebrations on 26 August, which included hosting an Indian Science Competition for law students. The firm had earlier marked its 100th anniversary on 15 August.
Against the backdrop of the successful lunar landing of Chandrayaan-3, students from 21 diverse law colleges across India recounted the remarkable scientific achievements of Indian researchers. The students gave presentations on innovations uniquely originating in India before an audience of sitting and retired judges at the event.
They comprised Justice Yashwant Varma, Justice Manmohan, Justice Prathiba Singh, Justice C Hari Shankar, Justice Amit Bansal, Justice Manmohan Singh (retired), Justice Mukta Gupta (retired) and Justice Najmi Waziri (retired) of Delhi High Court.
The judges underscored the need for raising awareness among the youth, including lawyers, to safeguard and commemorate Indian inventions and innovations.
The firm’s managing partner Pravin Anand, Justice Prathiba Singh and Justice Yashwant Varma interacted with the hologram of Sir CV Raman by asking questions on various stages of his life and career.
The hologram is a part of the firm’s commitment to promote interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and related fields among Indian youth, including aspiring lawyers. The firm also plans to create a virtual museum of holograms featuring scientists and inventors.
Anand said, “When we spoke to youth, they knew Einstein, they knew Newton but we thought about Indian scientists. So, we thought of Sir CV Raman. When we met and showed the hologram to Sir Raman’s grandson, he said it had an uncanny resemblance to the young Raman. The voice he said was on point”.
Raman, a physicist renowned for his contribution to the study of light scattering, received a Nobel Prize in 1930 for his discovery that light alters its wavelength and frequency when it passes through transparent materials. He died in 1970.
In the science competition, students showcased Indian inventions such as the ancient irrigation system, Kumilithumbu, and the user payments interface (UPI). The Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University won for their Kumilithumbu presentation, while the NUSRL Ranchi secured the runner-up position for their UPI presentation. Justices Shankar and Bansal judged the final round.
During the event, Anand said, “Great Indian science can only be protected through intellectual property rights and therefore, a vast army of lawyers who are assisting scientists need to be inspired. ” Justice Varma appreciated the competition as a “Great step”.
Highlighting the National Innovation Foundation’s role, he discussed how it fosters Indian ingenuity, citing Rajendra Yadav’s tractor-based sanitation invention among 140 patents, emphasising the pivotal role of innovation in addressing poverty and advancing the nation.
“For example, look at digital education, when lockdown came upon us, 11 million students took to digital education, and we saw several edtech startups come up and today India’s edtech is valued at USD4 billion,” Yadav added.
Justice Prathiba Singh emphasised the Indian Science Competition’s potential to inspire youth for national betterment, drawing parallels with the TV series Rocket Boys in her keynote speech. She highlighted India’s achievements, from the Chola temples to the covid-19 vaccines. Justice Waziri praised Indian software prowess, while Justice Manmohan lauded Anand and Anand’s contribution to the IP legal landscape and linked Chandrayaan-3’s success to India’s scientific temper. The competition is a biennial event that aims to nurture science and an appreciation of IP.
