Prof. (Dr.) Ruhi Paul

Prof. (Dr.) Ruhi Paul is a distinguished academic and administrator at National Law University Delhi. She previously serves as the Registrar of the University and currently holds the prestigious position of Chair Professor under the UNESCO Chair for Legal Dimensions of Clean Sports. With over two decades of experience in teaching, research, and institutional leadership, she has made significant contributions to the fields of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Sports Law.

Her academic journey began with a strong interest in dispute resolution, which she pursued during her Master of Laws degree through a dissertation on Online Dispute Resolution—a pioneering area of research in India in 2004. She later completed her doctoral thesis, the first of its kind in India, which examined the functioning of Mediation Centres in Delhi. Prof. Paul has been teaching ADR and related courses since 2006 at NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, and NLU Delhi, to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. She has also served as the Director of the Centre for ADR at NLU Delhi since 2008, playing a pivotal role in shaping ADR education and practice in India.

Prof. Paul’s expertise extends beyond academia into policy and advisory roles. She was invited by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Mediation Bill, 2021, to provide expert opinions, many of which were incorporated into the amended legislation. She has also contributed to global initiatives, including offering comments on dispute resolution for the World Bank Group’s Business Enabling Environment project. Her leadership under the UNESCO Chair focuses on promoting integrity and legal frameworks for clean sports at both national and international levels.

She has been awarded a Research Fellowship at the Asian Law Institute (ASLI), National University of Singapore (2018–19) for her work on designing evaluation systems for court-annexed mediation centres in India. Prof. Paul also coordinated the first jointly offered online Diploma course in Law & Practice of Arbitration by DIAC and NLU Delhi. A trained mediator and certified arbitrator, she brings practical experience from her work at the chambers of Shri Vipin Sanghi (former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court) and Shri Arun Kumar (Judicial Officer).

Prof. Paul has led and collaborated on numerous research projects with various departments of the Government of India, including initiatives on Sub-National Governance, Legal Assistance for Land, Village Peace Makers Programme, and Pro Bono work. She also spearheaded a technology-driven legal aid clinic for women in distress in partnership with the Ministry of Women & Child Welfare. Additionally, she was a member of the drafting committee of the Global Educational Law Forum (GELF) for creating a Global Agenda on Education Rights.

Her scholarly contributions include editing and peer reviewing for reputed journals, presenting research papers at national and international conferences, and designing specialized ADR course modules for diverse organizations. She has conducted faculty training workshops on ADR pedagogy and regularly delivers lectures at Judicial Academies and government departments. Her current research focuses on anti-doping studies, clean and safe sports practices and governance.