From the Colonial to the Contemporary: Images, Iconography, Memories of Law in India's High Courts

Book a Week

Arul Paul talks to Dr. Rahela Khorakiwala, author of the book From the Colonial to the Contemporary: Images, Iconography, Memories, and Performances of Law in India's High Courts. In this book, Dr. Rahela traces the remnants of the colonial pasts apparent in the practice and performance of law in the high courts of India at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. She argues that the iconographic identity of these courts helps preserve these historical notions of justice as evidenced in the contemporary perceptions of the court personnel. Dr. Rahela Khorakiwala completed her MPhil/ PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, and has, in the past, worked with the World Bank for a project in Kabul, the Ministry of External Affairs on an international maritime dispute, and the law offices of Federal & Company in Mumbai. Presently, she is a Senior Resident Fellow at Vidhi and leads the work for Vidhi Maharashtra. Dr. Rahela has several publications to her credit, including contributions to the Indian Law Review and the Asian Journal of Law and Society.