Prof. (Dr.) V.D. Sebastian, former Director of the School of Indian Legal Thought at Mahatma Gandhi University and a prominent figure in the field of legal education, passed away. He was 97.

He was the founding Director of the School of Indian Legal Thought, established in 1989. His vision and academic leadership played a pivotal role in developing the school into a centre of excellence in legal education. He made significant contributions to the development of the three-year LL.B., B.A. LL.B. (Honours), LL.M. and Ph.D. programmes, as well as the publication of the Journal of Indian Legal Thought. Having remained actively involved in the academic activities of the institution for over three decades, he also served as a member of the journal’s Editorial Advisory Board until 2024.

Mahatma Gandhi University Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) D. Mavoothu expressed grief over the demise of Dr. Sebastian. The Vice-Chancellor recalled that his contributions to upholding the values of social justice and academic excellence in legal education would remain an enduring part of the University’s academic legacy.