UPES Triumphs at the Inaugural Justice Hidayatullah International Moot Court Competition

Students from the School of Law, UPES achieved remarkable success at the inaugural edition of the Justice Hidayatullah International Moot Court Competition 2024 (HIMCC), held recently. The competition brought together 40 teams, including three international ones, showcasing legal acumen at a global level.

UPES students emerged victorious, winning the top prize of ₹2 lakh, highlighting their exceptional preparation and strategic prowess. The winning team comprised Muskan Sethi, Ananya Nandwana, and Mukul Khandelwal, who together demonstrated outstanding legal reasoning and argumentative skills. The winning trio also won an internship at AZB & Partners who were the key collaborators for the event.

Muskan Sethi, who also clinched the ‘Best Speaker’ award along with a ₹75,000 prize, shared her excitement: “Winning this competition feels surreal. The intense rounds tested our knowledge and our ability to think on our feet. This victory is a testament to our hard work and the rigorous training provided by our mentors at UPES.”

Talking about the knowledge needed to crack the challenge, Mukul Khandelwal shared insights into their strategy: “Our success at HIMCC was a result of our dedication to understanding the intricacies of the law and presenting our arguments with clarity and persuasion.”

Ananya Nandwana, another member of the UPES team, reflected on the competition’s intensity: “It was an intense experience that proved our capabilities on an international stage. The level of competition was incredibly high. It was inspiring to compete against some of the brightest legal minds from around the world.”

The HIMCC was meticulously organised, with over 120 participants and 80 judges from academia, the bar, and the bench. The professional conduct of the event was managed by Dr. Anindhya Tiwari and his team, ensuring a seamless experience for all attendees. The final rounds were adjudicated by a distinguished panel including Prof. (Dr.) Ranbir Singh, Advocate General of Chhattisgarh Prafull Bharat, and other eminent legal professionals.

Prof. (Dr.) Ranbir Singh, founding and former Vice Chancellor of NALSAR, Hyderabad, and NLU, Delhi, and currently Pro-Chancellor of IILM University, graced the occasion as chief guest in the august presence of Prof. (Dr.) V.C. Vivekanandan. He was joined by Shri Prafull Bharat, Advocate General of Chhattisgarh; Mr. Bharat V. Budholiya, Partner at AZB & Partners; Dr. Uday Shankar, Associate Professor, IIT Kharagpur; and Mr. Muralidharan R., Patent & Trademark Attorney, Manu Associates. The guests also judged the final rounds of the competition. Dr. Vipan Kumar, Registrar (I/c), Prof. (Dr.) Yogendra Srivastava, Dean-PG Studies & Controller of Examination and Dr. Anindhya Tiwari, Organising Secretary HIMCC 2024 were also present.

This victory at the HIMCC follows a remarkable performance last year, where UPES School of Law students won two prestigious competitions: the CCI-HNLU 13th Justice Hidayatullah National Moot Court Competition and the International Mediation Competition hosted by MediateGuru in association with Khaitan & Co. Anshika Agrawal, Yashaswani Parashar, and Utsav Vats brought home the coveted Justice Hidayatullah National Moot Court trophy, demonstrating UPES’s consistent excellence in legal education.