New Delhi: Pragya Samal, a law researcher whose family hails from Odisha’s Jajpur, recently got a standing ovation from Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and other Supreme Court judges in the judges’ lounge.
The 26-year-old has received admission offers for LLM programmes from six western universities – Columbia Law School, Chicago Law School, New York University, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, University of California Berkeley School of Law and the University of Michigan Law School- and also secured scholarships. Besides, she has secured scholarships from Berkeley and Michigan law schools.
She is the daughter of Ajay Kumar Samal, a Supreme Court attendant and a cook at the official residence of one of the judges.
Pragya expressed her gratitude with a smile as Justice Chandrachud presented her with three books on the Indian Constitution, signed by all the apex court judges. As a recognition of their struggle, the Chief Justice also offered shawls to Pragya’s parents.
“We know Pragya has managed something on her own, but we will ensure she manages to get whatever is required… We expect that she should come back to serve the country,” Justice Chandrachud said after the felicitation.
He added, “Whatever she does, she will achieve in excellence and she will carry the dreams of 1.4 billion people on her shoulders very easily”.
Pragya graduated in law from AMITY University in 2021. She then worked as a judicial clerk with an SC judge, since retired, and joined Centre for Research and Planning (CRP) in February 2023. She gave credit to her father, who had joined the court in 1996, for her success. “I am privileged to be his child. He always supported me whichever way he could,” she said.
She added that the Chief Justice has been an inspiration for her.
