معرفی
Sujith Koonan serves as an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, and holds a prominent position as a Member of the Editorial Board for the Law, Environment and Development Journal (LEAD), jointly published by SOAS–University of London and the International Environmental Law Research Centre (IELRC). His academic career spans multiple prestigious institutions including SOAS–University of London, National Law University Delhi, TERI School of Advanced Studies, Indian Society of International Law, and Amity Law School Noida. His professional engagements extend to research organizations such as the Environmental Law Research Society (ELRS), Centre for Policy Research, and IELRC in Geneva.
His academic credentials include:
- PhD in Law from SOAS–University of London (2013-2016), funded by the SOAS Doctoral Research Scholarship
- M.Phil. in International Law from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
- LL.M. in Environmental Law and Human Rights from Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi
Professor Koonan's research critically examines the intersection of environmental governance, human rights, and developmental policy in India. His work emphasizes water and sanitation law, natural resource management, and agro-biodiversity protection, with particular focus on implementation gaps in legislation. He investigates systemic failures in addressing manual scavenging, groundwater depletion, and gender disparities in sanitation access, advocating for legally enforceable rights frameworks that prioritize marginalized communities. His scholarship consistently challenges top-down policy approaches while documenting community resistance and legal innovations.
Analysis of his publication trajectory reveals a deepening engagement with climate-water interlinkages and gendered impacts of environmental policy since 2015. His co-edited volumes, particularly Water Law in India (Oxford University Press), establish foundational legal frameworks for water governance, while recent articles demonstrate increasing sophistication in connecting local case studies (like Plachimada and Rajsamand Lake) to global environmental justice movements. The consistent thread across his work is the critique of state-corporate complicity in environmental degradation and the championing of community-based legal solutions.
His major professional recognition includes:
- SOAS Doctoral Research Scholarship (2013-2016)
Professor Koonan actively bridges academic research and policy implementation, having served on the Government of India's Working Group for Water Governance during the Twelfth Five-Year Plan (2012-2017), which drafted three landmark water governance instruments. His recent advisory role with the Government of Rajasthan culminated in drafting the state's comprehensive water law. He frequently contributes policy insights through briefing papers on sanitation rights, manual scavenging prohibition, and plant variety protection, demonstrating sustained engagement with legislative processes.
His collaborative work with IELRC, Centre for Policy Research, and Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts positions him within influential transnational networks focused on environmental law reform in Global South contexts, particularly regarding biodiversity, climate adaptation, and water justice initiatives.
