IDIA CHARITABLE TRUST

Quarterly Newsletter  ·  April – June 2026

A quarter of firsts — first districts, first offers, first days of law school, and the first six-month review of our Litigation Fellowship.

Sabah Mistry Chief Executive Officer

Every time I meet our scholars, volunteers or Litigation Fellows, I am reminded that talent is not scarce. What is scarce is access to information, preparation, professional networks and sometimes simply to someone who says, “This path is possible for you.” But opening the first door is only the beginning.

A student introduced to law must still find the confidence to take an entrance examination. A scholar entering law school must navigate an unfamiliar environment. A graduate choosing litigation must build a practice in a profession where the early years can be especially difficult. The support required changes at every stage, but the need for a community remains.

This quarter reflects that journey: from reaching students in new districts and welcoming a new cohort into law school, to celebrating graduates beginning their careers and supporting young advocates at the district courts.

This is what meaningful access looks like: not one opportunity at one moment, but a pathway built over time. Thank you to every volunteer, mentor, donor, institution and alumnus helping us change who enters the legal profession, and whose experiences are represented within it.

Warmly,

Sabah Mistry
CEO, IDIA Charitable Trust

Law For All sessions in Alwar (Rajasthan), Godda (Jharkhand) and at a coaching centre in Kashmir.

Between April and June 2026, IDIA chapters carried the Law For All (LFA) programme into districts that had never hosted a session before — from the hills of Himachal to the blocks of Godda, from Kashmir’s coaching centres to a shelter home in Kolhapur.

Quarterly Impact

• 137 LFA sessions conducted
• 17,559 students reached
• 1,511 INAT Basic tests taken
• 12 new districts across 10 states
• Sikkim completed LFA sessions in every district of the state

Godda, Jharkhand. Working with the District Administration and Education Department, the Jharkhand Chapter reached 6,929 students across 55 schools in nine blocks — the quarter’s largest single drive.

Rajasthan opened three new districts: 1,815 students across nine government schools in Alwar and Khairthal-Tijara, in collaboration with the NGO Innovative House India, and 466 students across four schools in Sri Ganganagar.

Into the Himalayas. The Delhi Chapter’s eight-session drive through Shimla and Kangra (15–18 June) reached 1,226 students across eight government schools, several a long journey through difficult terrain. For most of those students, it was the first time anyone had explained what lies beyond Class 12. A session in Dwarka reached 247 more.

Law For All sessions in Jamui (Bihar), Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and at the AVANI shelter home in Kolhapur (Maharashtra).

Across the North East. Mizoram opened Saitual (147 students); Nagaland opened Zunheboto with six schools (534), with 150 more at Chanmari Higher Secondary School in a session led by CEO Sabah Mistry and Director Mingma; Assam opened Jorhat (404); and Sikkim added 234 to complete its state-wide sweep.

Kashmir went beyond the classroom. Seven sessions across Pampore, Ganderbal and Srinagar reached almost 540 students, held at coaching centres as well as higher secondary schools so the team could meet students from very different educational backgrounds.

Bihar, Bengal, Haryana and beyond. The Bihar team reached almost 950 students in Jamui. West Bengal held six sessions across Kolkata, South 24 Parganas and Alipurduar (780 students). The Haryana Chapter was re-established at JGLS Sonipat and reached 647 students; Maharashtra ran an LFA and INAT at the AVANI shelter home in Kolhapur; and Kerala added two schools in Thrissur and Palakkad (120 students).

A partnership renewed. On 14 May 2026, IDIA renewed its MoU with Sikkim Government Law College, with Sabah Mistry present in person alongside Principal Dr. Dilip Pandey and Dr. Shraddha Subedi, Assistant Professor and IDIA’s coordinating faculty at the college.

Two scholars from NUSRL Ranchi closed this quarter with pre-placement offers in hand and a law degree behind them. Their journeys reflect years of mentorship, training and holistic support, and they set the bar for the cohorts coming up behind them.

Scholars of the 2026 batch during the six-day Bootcamp, 1–6 June 2026.

The 14 newly inducted scholars of the 2026 batch came together for a six-day Bootcamp from 1–6 June 2026, designed to prepare them for the law school journey ahead.

The programme opened with orientation, ice-breakers and interactions with IDIA’s Directors, then moved into academic skill-building — research, communication, teamwork and presentation exercises. Scholars worked through internships, career planning, LinkedIn, CV writing and interviews, and explored co-curricular ground such as moots, ADR, MUNs and debates.

A highlight was the field visit to AZB & Partners and the MAPS NGO, where scholars gained professional and social-impact exposure in a single day and met several IDIA partners. The Bootcamp closed with alumni and current scholars in conversation, followed by reflection and feedback.

And a farewell. On 12 April, junior scholars hosted a warm online send-off for the 2021 batch — games, memories and reflections on friendships built through IDIA. One cohort stepped out as another prepared to step in.

Three chapters ran national writing competitions this quarter, drawing hundreds of entries from law students, researchers and practitioners, and raising over ₹4 lakh towards IDIA’s work.

The Karnataka Chapter’s essay competition, organised with Khaitan & Co., received 369 entries and raised ₹1,17,400. The Madhya Pradesh Chapter’s competition with NLIU’s Centre for Business and Commercial Laws, sponsored by S&R Associates, received 494 registrations and raised ₹1,91,350. Rajasthan’s IDIA–RegFin Essay Competition raised ₹1,00,900, while Bihar’s National PIL Drafting and Pleading Competition attracted over 55 teams and raised approximately ₹55,000.

The IDIA Litigation Fellowship supports young advocates building social justice-oriented practices at the district level, with mentorship, a stipend and structured training. In May, the first cohort closed the first of the Fellowship’s three six-month phases, and both state cohorts gathered for a two-day Half-Yearly Review Meeting — the first of three such reviews across the programme.

Sikkim  ·  9–10 May 2026  ·  Maplewood Hotel, Gangtok

Fellows, mentors and the IDIA team at the Half-Yearly Review Meeting, Maplewood Hotel, Gangtok.

CEO Sabah Mistry opened the meeting on IDIA’s work in making quality legal education accessible, and on the role periodic review plays in keeping the Fellowship honest to its aims. Program Coordinator Shinto Mathew Abraham then walked mentors through the fellows’ training to date: English communication, civil drafting, legal research and case law analysis, legal writing, client counselling and case management.

Eight fellows spoke about their first six months — the exposure gained through mentorship, the growth and the challenges — and mentors responded with feedback on academic performance, career planning and confidence. Director Ms. Mingma Lhamu Sherpa delivered the vote of thanks.

Day two turned practical. Sr. Advocate N. Rai led a session on cross-examination in criminal trials, drawing on decades of courtroom experience, and Advocate Sishir Mothey traced a criminal case from arrest and bail through remand, investigation and trial, alongside criminal drafting. The day closed with a goal-setting workshop in which fellows set their own targets for the phase ahead.

Sessions in Gangtok: the welcome address, cross-examination training with Sr. Advocate N. Rai, the mental health session, and mentors in discussion with fellows.

Power, pressure and professional survival. Ms. Ankitha Antony led a mental health and wellbeing session addressing the pressures faced by young litigators, and shared practical strategies to help fellows navigate workplace challenges, bias and self-doubt.

Kerala  ·  16–17 May 2026  ·  PGS Vedanta, Kaloor, Ernakulam

Fellows, mentors and the IDIA team at the Half-Yearly Review Meeting, PGS Vedanta, Kaloor, Ernakulam.

Day one was a full-day workshop on drafting basics in civil matters, led by Retd. Judge Prakashan PT, who joined the Kerala Judicial Service in 2004 and has served as Munsiff, Subordinate Judge, Chief Judicial Magistrate and Judge of the POCSO, SC/ST Special and Family Courts. He taught from a practising civil lawyer’s perspective and closed with an extended Q&A.

On day two, CEO Sabah Mistry led an interactive session with the fellows on the Fellowship’s long-term aims. The review meeting that followed was attended by all twelve fellows, four mentors and the IDIA core team, with each fellow sharing their work and what the Fellowship has changed for them; Shinto Mathew Abraham presented its progress since inception.

A panel with mentors Adv Sandhya J (Trivandrum), Adv H.S Maria (Wayanad), Adv Sadhanakumari (Ernakulam) and Adv Anitha TS (Palakkad) turned to the realities of litigation practice, and mementos were presented in recognition of their contribution. Director Ms. Mingma Lhamu closed the meeting, and Director Mr. Abhijith Prem led an afternoon session on mental health and wellbeing.

Sessions in Ernakulam: the civil drafting workshop with Retd. Judge Prakashan PT, the interactive session with CEO Sabah Mistry, the mentor panel, and the Fellowship progress review.

This quarter, 17,559 students across 17 states discovered new possibilities, fourteen new scholars began their law school journeys, and two graduates stepped into firms that had already recognised their potential.

Each of these milestones was made possible by people who chose to show up and stay involved. To every volunteer, chapter, mentor, donor and partner — thank you for continuing to build this movement with us.