After more than a decade, all members of Project 39A will be moving out of National Law University Delhi. From 31st March 2025, we will collectively begin a new chapter at NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad as The Square Circle Clinic.
Whilst being a part of NALSAR, Hyderabad, we will have offices in Delhi, Hyderabad, Nagpur and Pune.
Our engagement with criminal justice through research, pro bono legal representation, and public discourse has been driven by our commitment to the constitutional vision of equal access to justice for all. At our new home, The Square Circle Clinic, we will deepen and expand this commitment. We will continue to build our diverse body of work on criminal justice issues, including on mental health, forensics, sentencing, legal aid, capital punishment, custodial violence, incarceration, prison art education and storytelling initiatives.
We are excited to further our vision of equal justice and equal opportunity across the country as part of The Square Circle Clinic, NALSAR.
We thank National Law University Delhi for supporting the work we built over the years.
You can follow our work on Linkedin, Instagram, and Twitter.
The Fair Trial Fellowship is an initiative of Project 39A to train and mentor a group of young professionals (lawyers and social workers) to work with the State Legal Aid machinery towards ensuring fair trial for undertrial prisoners. The first batch of Fair Trial Fellows have been inducted in August 2018 for working on cases in Nagpur and Pune Central prisons and have undergone rigorous training for the same. The batch represents a group of young professionals with diverse backgrounds and experiences committed to ensuring quality legal representation for all within the criminal justice system.
Medha Deo
Programme Director
Medha graduated in Law from the Symbiosis Law School, Pune in 2008 and started her career as a Corporate M&A lawyer. She subsequently did her Masters in Law from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai in 2014. Before joining Project 39A in 2018, she was working with the Resource Centre for Intervention on Violence Against Women (RCI-VAW) in Mumbai and has been involved in establishing and monitoring government programmes for supporting women survivors of violence in the states of Bihar, Odisha and Maharashtra.
Ankita Richard Sakharpekar
Finance and Administrative Assistant, Nagpur
Ankita graduated in Commerce from Hislop College (RTMN University) in 2012 and completed her Masters in Commerce from RTM Nagpur University in 2014. She holds a merit record position in Hislop College, Nagpur. Before joining Project 39A in 2019, she worked as the Branch Manager at Arihant Publications (India) Ltd.
Aditya Shelar
Legal Strategy Coordinator, Pune
Aditya graduated in Law from Shri Shivaji Maratha Society's Law College, Pune in 2011 and completed his Masters in Law from NALSAR University of Law in 2013. Before joining the fellowship in 2018, he has worked as an advocate in criminal cases at various District and Sessions Courts and Subordinate trial courts in and around Pune District.
Abhishek Ujjankar
Office Assistant-Nagpur
Abhishek Ujjankar has completed his Higher Secondary Education from Nagpur and is pursuing his Commerce Graduation from YCMOU, Nasik University. He has worked for seven years in the loan recovery Department with Aditya Anagha Multi State Credit Co-op Society, Nagpur and three years with Goldbricks Infrastructure Pvt Ltd Nagpur as Office Assistant. He comes from Nagpur, Maharashtra and has joined Project39A-Fair Trial Fellowship Programme in July 2022.
Saurabh Surwase
Office Assistant, Pune
Saurabh Surwase has completed his HSC from Maharashtra Board, and doing his Commerce Graduation, from Savitribai Phule Pune University. He comes from Pune, Maharashtra and joined Project39A in 2022.
FELLOWS (NAGPUR)
Riolia Leo Mascarenhas
Senior Social Work Fellow
Riolia graduated from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai in 2016, with double majors in Psychology and Sociology and completed her Masters in Social Work in Criminology and Justice from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai in 2018. As part of her fieldwork, she has worked in police stations as a student social worker, and her dissertation was based on the rehabilitation of women prisoners in Thane district. She joined the fellowship in 2018.
Shivkumar Ramkushal Dwivedi
Senior Legal Fellow
Shivkumar graduated in Law from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar College of Law, Nagpur University in 2012. Prior to joining the Fellowship in 2018, he practiced in the High Court and other District Courts of Delhi, with Senior Advocate Ajay Verma. He also worked with International Bridges to Justice as a Duty Lawyer in Tihar Jail as a pro bono Advocate, and worked in Bail and Trial matters. He subsequently shifted to Nagpur and started his criminal practice.
Mohineesh Nair
Legal Fellow
Mohineesh Graduated in law in the year 2021 and joined the chambers of criminal defence counsel Advocate Muzammil Hussain and actively assisted him. Prior to completion of his Graduation, he also worked in the chambers of Advocate Masood Shareef as an intern and rendered his assistance to him for a period of 1 year. Before embarking on the journey of his advocateship Mohineesh also assisted 'AN ENDEAVOR ' foundation which specializes in treating animal casualty.
Ram Jagdish Gaikwad
Social Work Fellow
Ram graduated in engineering from Sinhgad Academy of Engineering in Pune in 2017 and completed his Master in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai in 2021 with specialization in Criminology and Justice. Ram has worked with organizations working for rehabilitation of victims of crime and children in need of care and protection. He joined the Fair Trial Programme in April 2022.
Shahbaaz Siddiqui
Legal Fellow
Shahbaaz graduated in Law from Khasdar Govindrao Adik Law College, Shrirampur (Savitribai Phule, Pune University) in 2021. He has worked in the litigation chambers of Adv Prasanna Kumar Manohar Joshi and Adv A A Sayyed and assisted them on civil and criminal matters before the Ahmednagar District and Session Court. Before joining the Fellowship in 2024, he worked in the chambers of Adv Sanket S. Kulkarni & assisted him in matters before the Bombay High Court Bench Aurangabad, Maharashtra.
Shahrukh Ali H. Sayyed
Junior Legal Fellow
Ali graduated in Law from Central India College of Law, Nagpur in 2014. He has worked with Adv. Sathianathan for three years and thereafter proceeded with independent litigation. Before joining the fellowship in 2020, Ali worked as para legal volunteer with District Legal Services Authority, Nagpur for a year and has also worked for social organisations focussed on the health and education of tribal communities in Gadchiroli district. He is currently pursuing LL.M. in constitutional law from Central India College of Law.
Pramod Wasnik
Social Work Fellow
Pramod graduated in Bachelor of Social Work in 2012 & Postgraduate in Medical Social Work in 2014 from Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj Nagpur University. He has worked with Pratham Education Foundation for the ASAR Program in 2022 and with Samta Foundation in 2023 as a Prison Transformation Officer which works for the rehabilitation of prisoners.
FELLOWS (PUNE)
Amar Manik Pawar
Junior Legal Fellow
Amar graduated in Law from Ismail Saheb Mulla Law College, Satara In 2018. He has previously worked with Advocate D.S. Patil and Vijay Jadhav. Before joining Fair Trial Fellowship in 2020, he worked in the litigation chamber of Advocate Akbar Shaikh and assisted him on Civil and Criminal matters.
Ashok Dada Gaikwad
Senior Legal Fellow
Ashok graduated in Law from Ismailsaheb Mulla Law College, Satara in 2016. He has worked in the litigation chambers of Advocate G.P. Kadam and assisted him on civil and criminal matters before the Solapur District and Session Courts, Malshiras. Before joining the Fellowship in 2018, he worked in the chambers of Advocate S.M. Katkar and assisted him in matters before the Bombay High Court.
Ashok Manik Jadhav
Social Work Fellow
Ashok completed his Masters in Social Work from Shankarrao Chavan College, Jalna in 2014. He has worked as Mobilizer Coordinator and Social Worker at Tata Trust in Pune. He joined the Fair Trial Programme in April 2022.
Ganesh Gurunath Dhakpade
Social Work Fellow
Ganesh graduated in Bachelor of Social work from Mahatma Basweshwar College, Latur in 2016 and completed his Masters in Social Work from CSRD-ISWR Institute of Social Work, Ahmednagar in 2018. He has experience in the field of Human Trafficking and as a Social worker for working migrant people and child rights. He joined the Fair Trial Programme in April 2022.
Pravin Madhukar Gunjal
Junior Social Work Fellow
Pravin graduated in Commerce from SN Arts, DJ Malpani Commerce and BN Sarada Science College, Sangamner in 2016 and completed his Masters in Social Work from Karve Institute of Social Service, Pune in 2018. He has experience in the field of corporate social responsibility, youth development and has been associated with several social organisations in the capacity of a volunteer. He joined the fellowship in 2020.
Swati Kevate
FINANCE AND ADMIN ASSISTANT
Swati graduate & Post graduated from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University of Aurangabad, 2006 and completed her Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) undergraduate professional degree Kolhapur 2007. Before joining Project 39A in 2022, she has worked as Yashada Administrative Training Institute, Pune as a Admin Project Assistant
Navnath Bandu Vedpathak
Junior Legal Fellow
Navnath graduated in Bachelor of Laws (B.S.L., LL.B.) from Osmanabad, Law College in 2011 and completed his Master of Laws from Symbiosis Law School, Pune in 2013. He subsequently started practicing in District and Sessions Court Pune and has over six years of experience in Civil, Criminal, Revenue and Consumer cases. He joined the fellowship in 2020.
Sumit Nanasaheb Patil
Senior Legal Fellow
Sumit graduated in Law from Shahaji Law College, Kolhapur in 2009. He started practice in Kolhapur District and Sessions Court. He received a postgraduate Diploma in Human Rights and Values in Education in 2010 and completed his LL.M (Business Law) from Bharti Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune in 2012. He subsequently started practicing in the District and Session Court, Pune. He has over eight years of experience in Civil, Revenue, Consumer, Co-Operative, Labour and Criminal cases. He joined the fellowship in 2018.
Nisha Rahul Pawar
Senior Legal Fellow
Nisha graduated in Law from New Law Academy College, Pune University in 2013 and completed her LLM from Pune University. She subsequently started practicing at the Pune District and Session court. Before joining the Fellowship in 2018, she worked with Senior Advocate Vivien Kandane and assisted him in criminal litigation.
Anjali Pravin
Data Analyst MIS Consultant
Anjali graduated with a postgraduate degree in sociology from Mumbai University in 2012. She began her career as a medical social worker at Tata Memorial Center's Cancer Project. Later, in 2015, she pursued her Master's in Social Work from Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune. After completing her MSW, Anjali worked as a family counselor at Khed Police Station's Special Cell for Women and Children (TISS) and the Family Counseling Project (implemented by CSWB) for Intervention on Violence Against Women in Ratnagiri. Prior to joining Project 39A in 2018, she served as a Senior Data Manager at Bapu Trust for Research on Mind & Discourse, Pune. There, she was involved in monitoring mental health inclusion support programs in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
Alumni
Aditi S Thakkar
Akash Vijay Shende
Ankita Sarkar
Anjali Lav Amkar
Archana P Rupwate
Ateek Ekbal
Bhawana Lanjewar
Gopal Gajbhiye
Hemant Jugal Kishore
Jeevika Shiv
Kunal Bandu Chavhan
Madura Patkar
Mayank Labh
Naina Gill
Neha Adhav
Niwrutti Premsagar Meshram
Pramod Pradip Patil
Poonam Lene
Prashant Dhadve
Pravin Nikam
Punam Pisurde
Rahul Surwade
Santosh Subhash Pawar
Saurav Kumar
Shahin Shaha
Shashank Kotangale
Sheetal Newaskar
Shravan Taram
Sinjini Mitra
Treena Stafford
Trupti Konkamwar
Udaykumar Kulkarni
Vaibhav Uddhavrao Pandit
Yashpal Manohar