Vanshaj Jain

Matric Year: 2019 – Subject: DPhil Law – Scholarship: Indira Gandhi Scholar

My research interests pertain to public international law and climate change. I seek to study the impact of rising sea levels on international maritime boundaries and maritime entitlements, to better understand how the law on this subject may be developed to accommodate such change.

My attraction to the law stems from the pivotal role it plays in shaping society. It is for this reason that I have nurtured a deep interest in public international law. I believe it possesses tremendous potential to change the lives of the most vulnerable, and mold society for the better.

During my undergraduate studies at the National Law School I pursued every opportunity to further my passion for international law. I was fortunate to argue the finals of the ICC moot before sitting judges of the International Criminal Court, at The Hague. I worked extensively on the law of statehood whilst competing at the Jessup Moot. Through my internship with Mr. Soli Sorabjee, I worked on a major international maritime dispute, the Enrica Lexie case.

The Rhodes Scholarship enabled me to read for the Bachelor of Civil Law at the University of Oxford, where I engaged more deeply with the subject through courses such as International Law and Armed Conflict as well as International Law of the Sea. I added breadth to this engagement in my second year at Oxford where I read for an MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, gaining a better understanding of the real-world hurdles that reside in the practice of international law.

I hope to nurture this passion further, as an Indira Gandhi Scholar at the Oxford India Centre, whilst reading for my DPhil in Law at Somerville.

Awards and Previous Qualifications

  • Oxford – MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (Distinction)
  • Oxford – Bachelor of Civil Law (Distinction)
  • NLSIU – B.A., LL.B. (H)
  • Rhodes Scholar (India & Exeter, 2017)
  • Oxford Department of International Development Faculty Prize for Best Thesis in the MSc (RFMS) [2019]
  • Volterra Fietta Prize for International Law of the Sea (BCL) [2018]
  • Gold Medal for Best Student Advocate [2017]
Where Next?