At most law schools, you’ll find student groups laser-focused on bar practice exams and clinic internships. But earlier this year, the NYU School of Law became the first in the country to have a Hindu Law Students Association, which concluded its first semester with a packed Diwali celebration, food drive, traditional dance workshop and yoga sessions. The events, however, were not only cultural celebrations, but also tools for navigating the demanding world of legal education.
Launched this past spring, the group was founded by NYU Law alumna Tanya Bansal and her twin sister Megha Bansal, a JD candidate, after three years of persistent efforts. The pair collected hundreds of student signatures and pitched a business plan to the NYU School of Law’s student government, which allocates funding. Now, the group meets to explore ancient texts, practice yoga and discuss how Hindu notions — such as dharma and karma, or duties and consequences, and ahimsa, the principle of non-violence — can be applied to legal ethics.
“Growing up with Hindu philosophy, I saw how concepts like dharma and karma offered frameworks for understanding justice and responsibility that weren’t often discussed in legal circles,” Tanya wrote in a statement to WSN. “I wanted to create an inclusive space where students of all faiths could engage with ancient Hindu wisdom, while also ensuring Hindu students had a community that understood and celebrated our traditions.”
Among the highlights of this semester’s events was a Diwali celebration that saw over 100 attendees and was sponsored by local Indian restaurants, including Greenwich Village’s Ambo. The organization also organized a two-day food drive that raised nearly $600 for food pantry Hell’s Kitchen Community Cupboard. Other events included a workshop for traditional Bharatanatyam dance and yoga sessions at the Broome Street Ganesha Temple. Despite solid turnout, however, members noted the challenges of operating on limited funding.
“Since we’re a relatively new organization, the funding that we get is minuscule in comparison to more established organizations,” first-year law student and group member Sonal Rawat said. “So we still have a long way to go — but the student community itself has been very receptive.”
Looking ahead, HLSA plans to host a Holi celebration in March and educational workshops on Hindu mythology and ancient legal texts. The group is also developing a Bhagavad Gita study circle and sends out newsletters highlighting Hindu events around the city, in hopes of expanding its professional development programming and inspiring students at law schools across the country to follow suit.
“We really want attorneys, especially in our generation, to be resilient and capable,” second-year law student and HLSA board member Rachita Bommakanti said. “We want to prevent furthering the reputation that lawyers are all stressed and burnt out. Life does get crazy, but some of these principles can really help deal with that.”
Contact Liyana Illyas at culture@nyunews.com.
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