www.asian-voice.com 16 AsianVoiceNews AsianVoiceNewsweekly AsianVoiceNews AsianVoiceNewsweekly 17 SAsPianE VoCiceI|A26tL h November 2016 Asian Voice |26Sth PNoEvemCbIerA 20L 16 First female Indian Barrister Cornelia Sorabji's 150 th birth anniversary celebrated Rani Singh & Rupanjana Dutta and the audience had moved Somerville in future as we do The initiative is backed by over to the Nehru Hall for a already to our Oxford India Dr Kusoom Vadgama, histo - The High Commission of India in the UK organised an sumptuous dinner, Acting Centre for Sustainable Divya Sharma rian and editor of 'An Indian High Commissioner, His Development. And of the Portia: Selected Writings of event to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Divya graduated from the Excellency Mr Dinesh things really great about our National Law Institute Cornelia Sorabji'. Cornelia Sorabji, the very first woman of any national - K.Patnaik stood outside the scheme is that we expect our University, Bhopal, in 2012 The Cornelia Sorabji Law Lord Karan Bilimoria ity to study law at Oxford, and also the first female halls in the central area on scholars to return to India. palcing first in a cohort of 85 Programme is housed at the Co-founder and Chairman, Cobra Beer Indian Barrister. The event was organised in collabo - the first floor and spoke to So we’ve had the support of students. Before Somerville, Oxford India Centre and pro - ration with Somerville College, Oxford, where Ms. us. He said, “We were talk - the government of India and Divya was practicing corpo - vides a thriving postgraduate ing about a personality who we are looking for more sup - and postdoctoral programme Sorabji did her law studies. rate law in India for four Cornelia Sorabji opened doors in the world. port for people in India with years and after completing for talented Indian graduate She was a first woman lawer the expectation that what students who seek to lead BCL, Divya intends to return 17th November was International College is of course famous for being he event was very well of Wards, serving to study in Oxford. In India, the students do and learn in change on their return to to India to resume practising Students’ Day and how serendipitous it Indira Gandhi’s College, as well as attended with partici - sequestered women, and she fought against things Oxford will go back to as a transactional lawyer. India. The holder of the Tpation of senior their families, fighting for was that, on that very day, the Indian Margaret Thatcher’s, and perfectly high - when everybody tried to stop India and help to scholarship will belong to the “Cornelia Sorabji is a cel - High Commission hosted an event to cel - lights the links between the UK and judges, legal practitioners, their education and legal her. She got a scholarship to develop law, to Faculty of Law and the ebrated figure in India. She ebrate the 150th anniversary of Cornelia India. The links showcase the huge faculty and students from rights. come here when the UK develop society Oxford India Centre for is a source of inspiration Sorabji’s birth. importance of international students to law schools, representatives The event also highlight - wanted to deny her a schol - there as well.” Sustainable Development at for many young lawyer, Cornelia Sorabji was an Indian Parsi the UK. Not only do they bring £14bn to from some of the most emi - ed the postgraduate law arship, she got to study in Dr Kusoom Somerville College. including me. Many of my student who became the first woman ever UK economy, they enrich the experience nent legal firms in the UK, scholarships for Indian stu - Oxford and Oxford refused Vadgama, The Centre was estab - Indian friends and seniors to read law at the University of Oxford, of domestic students and help develop entrepreneurs, historians, dents launched this year at her. So she is somebody who speaking to Navya Jannu talking to Dr Kusoom Vadgama lished three years ago as a from college have stud - studying at Somerville College. She grad - generational links – I am the third gener - writers, editors and media Oxford India Centre for always has broken values. Asian Voice as true in most developing ates to follow in their foot - result of a grant of 3 million ied in Oxford and a uated in 1892, the same year that ation, on both sides, of my family to be personnel. Sustainable Development But today was not a celebra - said, “Lived countries, depicts a collission steps.” pounds from the Indian majority of them are Dadabhai Naoroji, another Parsi, became educated in the UK and now my son is Some of the key atten - Somerville College, in mem - tion of the woman Cornelia with this between aspirations of an The college is now cam - Ministry of Human Resource from Somerville. I had the first Indian to be elected as a Member studying at a British university – the woman for ambiguous government, anxi - paigning for it to eventually Development, matched by heard wonderful sto - of Parliament in Westminster. I was so fourth generation. The bridge that 30 years. eties of vulnerable groups and become a fully-funded Somerville College and the ries about the College proud to follow in his footsteps as the Cornelia Sorabji built over a century ago She decid - environmental concerns endowment to support bright University of Oxford. from them and was first Zoroastrian Parsi to enter the House has inspired so many Indian students, ed to go to flagged by social agents. Law Indian students who often It offers five permanently very excited when I of Lords, a little over ten years ago. and Indian women, to study in Britain, to the most plays a balancing role in this win admission to Oxford endowed scholarships for got an offer to study Cornelia Sorabji’s story is truly inspi - the benefit of both of our countries. deprived chaotic paradigm. I am grate - University but are unable to Indian graduate students and here. I want to go into rational. She shattered glass ceilings and people six students have already academia and am hoping opened doors, against all the odds and help benefitted from those that this course will gear and prejudice at the time. Her story them in a scholarships since they me with the requisite is one of determination, it was ten way only she started in 2013. knowledge and skills that years after obtaining her law degree could. She has From its inception in I need to become a good that the British Government finally shown her 1879, Somerville College, academic. allow her to become a Barrister, and courage founded as one of the first Oxford University “I have wanted to pur - she never gave up, representing and against all odds. She always two institutions at the announced the launch of a sue a career in Law from a taking up women’s causes in India. used to say,’my heart beats University of Oxford to new scholarship in very young age. I hail from a This event wonderfully high - with two pulses; once for admit women, had been September to support family full of lawyers and lighted the links between Oxford India, once for Britain.” dedicated to inclusion, Indian students studying judges and was especially University and India. Somerville law at the world-famous inspired by my grandfa - explicitly welcoming stu - institution, celebrating thers- one was a lawyer and dents from all social back - The Cornelia Sorabji Sorabji's 150th birth the other was a High judge grounds, any kind of cul - Law Programme anniversary. On her return in India. As I grew up, I tural and religious beliefs, Acting Indian High Commissioner HE Dinesh Patnaik addressing the gathered audience Cornelia Sorabji, the first to her home country, became more determined to and all nationalities. Sorabji; it is the celebration female law student at Oxford follow their legacy.” Cornelia Sorabji actually dees and speakers included ory of Cornelia Sorabji. Cornelia Sorabji became the of womanhood, it is a cele - in 1889 continues to provide ful to Mr Hemant Sahai for bear the high costs associated came to Oxford with the help British Indian entrepreneur The nephew of Cornelia, first woman to practice law bration of never ending, of a pioneering link between his support in realising my with it. To be successful, the of a subscription raised by and life peer Lord Bilimoria Professor Sir Richard in India and worked on keeping striving, fighting; India and the University of Navya Jannu aspirations and remain applicant will be expected to progressive British men and (who is also the nominated Sorabji told Asian Voice, behalf of women living in and also the fact that in Oxford. Cornelia Sorabji was Through the generosity of encouraged by our shared demonstrate not only excep - women including Madeleine representative of the “Well, I think it’s so impor - purdah. Her lifetime’s work today’s world we need role not only Somerville College’s Mr Hemant Sahai of New interest in the same law.” tional academic merit but Shaw Lefevre, the first Government of India for the tant that Indian lawers are as a social reformer centred models. We need role mod - first Indian student, but was Delhi, the College has also also a commitment ultimately Principal of Somerville. Indira Gandhi Scholarships now being given scolarships on support for the poor and els that we can look up to for also the first Indian woman launched the HSA to return to India to put their At graduate level there are at Somerville College), Dr to come to Somerville which for women at every level of the younger generation, for to study at any British Advocates Award to another Launch of the skills and experience into currently 26 law students Alice Prochaska (Principal, has such a tradition in law society.