Wearing a square hat and a traditional black robe, the Chennai-based student walked away with 12 gold medals at the Jnana Jyothi auditorium in Central College campus.
The triumph of the aspiring lawyer prompted Vice-Chancellor R Venkata Rao to take a break, as he could not declare the list of awards in a single breath.
Only son of Chennai-based P Venkateshan and Subadhra V, Niranjan is inspired by famous jurist Nani Palkhivala. “Since my school days, I knew that litigation was my forte. My experience of participating in moot courts and debates strengthened my belief.
Analysing law and putting it forward is an exhilarating experience,” says the student who has won various international and national moot court competitions.
Two dreams
Niranjan’s father is a Carnatic musician, popularly known as Allepey Venkateshane and his mother is an education consultant. The 23-year-old had turned down a lucrative job offer from a top notch law firm at the placement week, this year. “I cherished two dreams in life. One is - to litigate in court and other is - to study Bachelor of Civil Law at the prestigious Oxford University, which is uniquely suited for litigation,” said the student, who wants to join the Bar.
“The best part of the institute is that it allows students to become what they want to. I had sat for the placements to gain experience. However, my choice has always been litigation,” said Niranjan, who will soon join Magdalen College in Oxford University.
Good blend
He studied at Bal Vidyan Mandir, a reputed school in Chennai before joining the law school. According to Niranjan, clearing the Rhodes Scholarship Interview has been one of the greatest moments of his life. “It was a great experience. The panelists comprised of reputed personalities like Ratan Tata and Rahul Gandhi. There was a preliminary test and a final interview. There was a good blend of technical as well as personal questions. I am glad that I cracked the interview,” says the student.
A die-hard fan of football team Chelsea, he is all set to cheer for his team at the English Premier League. “I am a football buff and Chelsea is my favourite team,” concludes Niranjan.
