Prof. Abhishek Mishra
Law Mantra: Hello Sir Please tell us something about yourself?Abhishek Mishra : I assume my academic background. I am Abhishek Mishra, have done schooling from Besant Theosophical Society, Varanasi and Queens College, Varanasi. Graduated in 2004 from School of Law, DAVV, Indore. I was shortlisted for NALSAR in 2000, however, could not joint because of financial constraints. I am a recipient of Swiss Scholarship for studies in Armed Conflict for the year 2005-2006 and studied at Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva. I hold an LL.M from National University of Singapore, Singapore. I was an intern of ICTY, UN, the Hague, 2003 and year in 2012 I was one of select few invitee of 2012 ICTY Global Legacy of ICTY Conference, UN as an expert of international humanitarian and criminal law. Prof. Schabas selected me for a Ph.D, however, again as I could not manage enough funding therefore I had to drop it. Now, I am a Ph.D candidate at University of Hamburg, Germany. Law Mantra: Describe your childhood in brief?
Abhishek Mishra: My childhood was childhood of a boy next door. Law Mantra: What would you say about your strengths and weaknesses?
Abhishek Mishra: My strength is analytical and research ability, honesty, integrity and love for every single human being. My weakness is that I trust everybody in a jiffy and, of course, the legendry laziness. Law Mantra: Why did you choose law as the career line? Any particular person who inspired you?
Abhishek Mishra:I shall be honest, I came to law by accident and it was never pre-ordained. My inspiration for all time is my late father for everything or in other words in all walks of life. Law Mantra: Are you satisfied with your profession? Did you ever regret your choice of career?
Abhishek Mishra: Yes, I am head over heel satisfied with the teaching profession; however, given a chance I would love to litigate. I have never regretted my decision so far. I have worked in international and national law firms, and teaching offers me the most satisfaction. Law Mantra: How was your college life? What strategies did you use to be successful in college?
Abhishek Mishra: My university day’s were full of fun and frolic adequately supplemented with academic activity, curricular and extra curricular both. Law Mantra: What according to you should be the focus of the law students at law school? How should they shape up their potential career graph?
Abhishek Mishra: The focus of law students should be on acquiring substantive knowledge in their respective universities. They must instill discipline in their lifestyle. They must observe things very minutely and must have an eye for details. There are diverse career path for a law student depending on his/her inclination. Therefore, they must shape their career in consonance with their personal liking instead of blindly aping everyone around. Students coming from non-law background must believe in themselves and they should never consider their background a handicap for them before choosing in career in the field of law specially litigation. They might not have a smooth smart but they will certainly have smooth finish, and as they say all’s well that ends well. Law Mantra: You pursued your LLM from the (National University of Singapore) in 2008. Did you always want to study further in universities abroad or was it just a sudden decision?
Abhishek Mishra:It was well thought out and a deliberate decision. I always longed to study abroad. Law Mantra: What all things help to make your CV stand out and the application process like for such colleges?
Abhishek Mishra: I believe internship with ICTY, UN, The Hague gave me an edge over others. Having said that I must not forget to thank my stars who always favoured me. It did because I always believed in helping others and supporting them in excelling without getting worried about myself. I am convinced that if you worry about others God worries about you, if you are a scientologist replace God with whatever, but don’t replace the rule that you should help others unconditionally. Law Mantra: What do you like best about teaching at NUJS? Any differences between N.U.J.S and K.I.I.T Law School teaching style.
Abhishek Mishra: I have been lucky to have extremely bright students and what I like the most is the love and affection that I get from my students and society, same was the case with KIIT, but NUJS is good for an individual’s personal growth as an academician. I don’t find much of a difference between them. Except that of 125 students of NUJS’ 90 percent are bright and smart, at KIIT the percentage will plummet at 30 percent. It doesn’t mean rest of them is not good, they are but they will pick up slowly. Law Mantra: What is the best thing about being a Professor? And what’s the worst?
Abhishek Mishra:Good thing about being Professor is that you get to create knowledge, you just not only do a job, you live a life as job. Its all about giving and nation building, you lead by action and from front. You leave an impact of impressionist and formative brain and personality of an adolescent, therefore you need to be very forgiving and upright with your behavior. You must be patience as at the young age such as 18 or 19 students sees no one better than him/her, it can be challenging but you must not be in competition with them rather promote them and also teach them to be little humble. Worst of teaching is its pay structure but no quarrel with that. Law Mantra: Describe your teaching style.
Abhishek Mishra: My teaching style is participatory and this is why I have conducted moots as final exams for many papers that I had offered as an optional. Law Mantra:Do you think students should behave with the professors like friends, or is it necessary to maintain a disciplined environment to create a good classroom environment?
Abhishek Mishra: They must be pally with their professors, however, a fine line of discipline and distance must be maintained. One must understand academician is not all about transferring or creating knowledge, its about inspiring, leading and encouraging. My experience is that despite being cordial with students I had never face any indiscipline in my classes. However, academicians have his/her own principle and I respect their theory also. Law Mantra:Sir, Any message to younger Generation?
Abhishek MishraYes, please help others and be sensitive and inclusive. Learn not to earn but to become one. Law Mantra: Sir, what are your views about Law Mantra?
Abhishek Mishra: I am highly impressed with law mantra and its founder Aditya and his entire team. It’s a wholesome website for law students to acquire information crucial for their legal career. I wish them all the best. Law Mantra showcases acute entrepreneur acumen of law students of present generation. All the best Aditya and Law Mantra Team. Thanks a lot sir for giving reply to all the questions hope all suggestion helps students.