Shimla, 16.03.2026
Centre for Criminology and Forensic Science, Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla, under the leadership of Prof. (Dr.) Priti Saxena, Vice-Chancellor successfully organized “PROJECT VALOR – The 1st National Trial Advocacy Competition” on 14 March 2026 at the university campus. The national-level competition witnessed enthusiastic participation from 20 teams representing leading law institutions across the country and aimed to strengthen practical courtroom advocacy skills among budding legal professionals. Conducted through Preliminary, Semi-Final, and Final Rounds, the event provided participants with a realistic courtroom environment to demonstrate their abilities in trial advocacy, legal reasoning, and witness examination.
The structure of the competition enabled participants to engage in comprehensive courtroom simulations, where teams presented their arguments and conducted examination-in-chief as well as cross-examination before a panel of distinguished judges. Students of various universities actively contributed to the exercise by serving as witnesses, thereby enhancing the authenticity and experiential learning dimension of the trial proceedings.
At the conclusion of the competition, the team from Christ (Deemed to be University), Pune Lavasa Campus emerged as the Winner and was awarded a cash prize of ₹25,000. The Runner-Up position was secured by the team from Rizvi Law College, which received a cash prize of ₹15,000. The Best Advocate Award was conferred upon Adriel Alan Berty, along with a cash prize of ₹5,000, while the Best Witness Award was presented to Navodita Kaushik with a cash prize of ₹2,000.
In the memorial categories, the Best Memorial – Prosecution award was secured by the team from Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad, and the Best Memorial – Defence award was won by the team from The West Bengal National University of Judicial Sciences. Each of these teams received a cash prize of ₹5,000 in recognition of their outstanding legal research and drafting skills.
The event concluded on a highly successful note, reaffirming HPNLU Shimla’s commitment to promoting excellence in legal education through practical learning platforms that nurture advocacy, research, and courtroom skills among law students across the country. The competition was coordinated by Dr. Ruchi Sapahia, Director, Centre for Criminology and Forensic Science.
