In a significant development for the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, took charge as the Chairperson, alongside Justice (Dr.) Vidyut Ranjan Sarangi, who joined as a Member. Priyank Kanoongo, who was appointed as a Member last week, was also welcomed into the Commission. The appointments were made by the Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Draupadi Murmu, on December 21, 2024.

The function, which marked the official induction of the new leaders, was attended by Smt. Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, Acting Chairperson, Secretary General Shri Bharat Lal, and other senior officers and staff of the NHRC.

In his address to the gathering, Justice V. Ramasubramanian emphasized India’s longstanding tradition of upholding human rights, even before the global recognition of the concept. Drawing from the teachings of the Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar, he highlighted that human rights are ingrained in the cultural ethos of India. He also stressed that the promotion and protection of human rights require collective effort from all stakeholders.

Justice Ramasubramanian, born in Mannargudi, Tamil Nadu, on June 30, 1958, has had a distinguished legal career. After completing his B.Sc. in Chemistry from Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College and pursuing law at Madras Law College, he practiced in the Madras High Court for over two decades. He served as an Additional Judge in 2006 and was elevated to a permanent judge in 2009. In 2016, he was transferred to the High Court of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, later continuing his tenure in the Telangana High Court post-bifurcation. In 2019, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and subsequently became a Judge of the Supreme Court of India. He retired in 2023 after authoring 102 judgments, including in high-profile cases like the 2016 Demonetization policy and the interpretation of circumstantial evidence in bribery matters.

Priyank Kanoongo, a dedicated advocate for child rights and education, hails from Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh. Holding a B.Sc. in Microbiology, Shri Kanoongo served as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for two terms from 2018 to 2024. Under his leadership, the NCPCR introduced several pioneering initiatives, including regulating OTT platforms to protect children from inappropriate content and launching portals for better stakeholder engagement. His book, Pinjra-The Cage, explores the lives of children in care institutions and reflects his deep commitment to child welfare systems tailored to India’s cultural context.

Justice (Dr.) Vidyut Ranjan Sarangi, born on July 20, 1962, in Nayagarh district, Odisha, brings a wealth of legal expertise to the NHRC. An LL.B., LL.M., and Ph.D. holder in Law, Dr. Sarangi has had an illustrious career spanning over 27 years in civil, criminal, constitutional, and administrative law. Appointed as a Permanent Judge of the Orissa High Court in 2013, he disposed of over 152,000 cases and authored nearly 1,500 judgments. In 2024, he became the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court. Justice Sarangi has been an active member of numerous national and international legal committees and organizations, contributing significantly to legal reforms in India.

The new leadership at NHRC is poised to continue the Commission’s vital work in promoting and protecting human rights across India, ensuring that the country’s commitment to justice and equality is reflected in all its policies and actions.