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Symbiosis Law School, Pune, a constituent of Symbiosis International University and the Centre for Law and Policy Research, Bangalore (CLPR) jointly organized the Regional Round (Western) of ‘ConQuest: A Quiz on the Indian Constitution, History and Politics’, on 30th July, 2016, at SVC Auditorium, Viman Nagar, Pune. The quiz was prepared and conducted by Walnut Knowledge Solution, a Bangalore based start-up that aims to promote popular and critical knowledge of India's constitutional and legal heritage among University graduates in general and law students in particular.
The dignitaries gracing the occasion were the Chief Guest, Hon’ble Justice Dr. (Mrs.) Shalini Phansalkar Joshi, Judge, Bombay High Court, Mr. Vineeth Krishna, Associate Editor, Constitutional and Civic Citizenship, Project Centre for Law and Policy Research, Dr. Shashikala Gurpur, Director, Symbiosis Law School, Dean, Faculty of Law, SIU, Dr. Bindu Ronald, Deputy Director, Symbiosis Law School, Pune and Mr. Raghav Chakravarthy, Co-Founder, Walnut Knowledge Solution.
The western regional round saw participation of 44 teams and the final round witnessed 6 teams from SVKM Pravin Gandhi College of Law, Symbiosis Law School, Pune, BVDU New College, VM Salgaoncar, Goa and ILS Law College, Pune fighting closely for the title of the winner of the Regional Round (Western) of National Quiz Competition.
Dr. Shashikala Gurpur, in her welcome address spoke about the novelty of this quiz that inculcates critical thinking. For this, she commended the initiative taken by Centre for Law and Policy Research, Bangalore (CLPR) and Walnut Knowledge Solutions. She especially thanked Hon’ble Justice Dr. (Mrs.) Shalini Phansalkar Joshi, a judge of exceptional stature, for gracing the event with her presence and participating in it briefly as a quiz-master.
Hon’ble Justice Dr. (Mrs.) Shalini Phansalkar Joshi thereafter addressed the audience. She praised the ConQuest Quiz Competition and the high standards of the questions that were asked. Emphasising upon the framework of our Constitution, she spoke about it incorporating the diversity of the nation while bringing about unity. She spoke about the importance of imparting the constitutional knowledge as it affects not just lawyers and judges, but we the people.
Mr. Vineeth Krishna, in his concluding remarks spoke of civic education intervention and constitutional secular citizenship that are crying out for public rethinking. The CLPR aims to foster greater public awareness regarding the constitutional legal history and its impact on us. Further elucidating upon the motivation behind ConQuest, he especially thanked the entire organisation team for all their hard work.
Following a close competition and a tie breaker, the results were declared as follows: in first position was Symbiosis Law School, Pune-Team A, winning cash prize of Rs. 7000, VM Salgaonkar College, Goa in second position, winning cash prize of Rs. 5000 and SVKM Pravin Gandhi College of Law, Pune in third position, winning cash prize of Rs. 3000. The first and second teams respectively will go on to represent the Western Region in the National Finals of ConQuest at New Delhi on 20th August, 2016.
The event concluded with the Vote of Thanks by Dr. Bindu Ronald, Deputy Director, SLS Pune.
