By Newslaundry

Part 1: en | 01:02:00 | 2022
Part 2: en | 45:43:00 | 2022
On this Human Rights Day, Newslaundry is removing the paywall from our interview with prominent human rights lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj, who had walked out of prison in 2021 after being repeatedly denied bail in the Bhima Koregaon case.
Working with people on the ground, Sudha is only too aware of how “alien” the judicial process is to the majority of India’s population. She also thinks it’s important for young lawyers to cut their teeth by representing the most marginalised.
In this interview, the activist talks about her childhood in Bilaspur and her educational journey, culminating in Jawaharlal Nehru University and IIT Kanpur. Her mother, a JNU professor, helped shape the ideology of this self-proclaimed Marxist who began working with trade unions at the age of 25.
In Byculla jail, Sudha tried to secure legal aid for those imprisoned with her. She believes in the importance of a “united front” and worries that the lack of this unity gives rise to dogma.
Watch video Part 1
Watch video Part 2

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Also read:

▪ From Phansi Yard: My Year with the Women of Yerawada
Author: Sudha Bhardwaj
Publishing Date: Oct 2023
Publisher: Juggernaut
Pages: 216
Read more / order

▪ Sudha Bharadwaj speaks – A Life in Law and Activism
Publishing Date: January 2021
Interview: Darshana Mitra and Santanu Chakraborty
Publisher: Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)
Pages: 316
Access a free PDF copy of the book here