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{{short description|Indian lawyer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}
[[File:Malavika Rajkotia in her Office, 2018.jpg|thumb|245x245px|Malavika Rajkotia, 2018]]
'''Malavika Rajkotia''' is an Indian lawyer. She joined the Bar in 1985 and developed a practice with a focus on family and property law. She has handled several high profile and complex divorce and property disputes across various courts of the country.

She has been called one of the country's most successful [[divorce]] lawyers, and has handled several celebrity cases. Rajkotia is the founder of Rajkotia Associates, a leading multidisciplinary law firm specialising in matrimonial and property laws.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rajkotiaassociates.in/|title=Home - Rajkotia Associates Advocates|website=Rajkotia Associates Advocates|language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-25}}</ref> She is the author of ''Intimacy Undone: Law of Marriage, Divorce and Family in India.''<ref>{{cite book |title=Amazon listing|id={{ASIN|9386050560|country=in}}}}</ref> The book explores the socio-economic and legal aspects of family law in India and has been called a ''tour de force.''<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Menski |first=Werner |date=July 2018 |title=Book Review: Malavika Rajkotia, Intimacy Undone. Marriage, Divorce and Family Law in India |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0262728018768949 |journal=South Asia Research |language=en |volume=38 |issue=2 |pages=202–204 |doi=10.1177/0262728018768949 |s2cid=149773959 |issn=0262-7280|url-access=subscription }}</ref> It has also been critically acclaimed for its focus on issues faced by judges, lawyers and clients in the area of family law by weaving a compelling story interspersed with accounts of Rajkotia's experiences as a lawyer and incorporating nuanced perspectives from law, history, psychology, literature and mythology.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.asianage.com/books/050517/book-review-analysing-marriage-in-contemporary-india.html|title=Book review: Analysing marriage in contemporary India|date=2017-05-05|work=asianage.com/|access-date=2017-11-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-08-02 |title=Book Review- 'Intimacy Undone- Marriage, Divorce and Family Law in India' |url=https://vikalp.ind.in/2017/08/book-review-intimacy-undone-marriage/ |access-date=2022-04-14 |website=VIKALP |language=en-US}}</ref> She is also the author of ''Unpartitioned Time: A Daughter's Story,''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-11 |title=Unpartitioned Time - Speaking Tiger Books |url=https://speakingtigerbooks.com/product/unpartitioned-time/ |access-date=2024-07-03 |language=en-US}}</ref> published by Speaking Tiger in July 2024.

== Education ==
Rajkotia studied at [[Welham Girls' School]] in [[Dehradun]].<ref name="mentor_2017">{{cite journal |last1=Sambasivam |first1=Padmini |title=Innovation and Thought Leadership |journal=Mentor Magazine |date=January 2017 |volume=10 |issue=8 |page=12 |url=https://issuu.com/mentormagazine/docs/mentor_january_2016_volume_10_issue/12 |access-date=5 April 2023 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> After completing a bachelor's degree in political science from [[Lady Shri Ram College]], [[New Delhi]], she pursued her law degree from Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

== Work ==
In addition to arguing several notable family law cases, she has argued for the custody rights of mothers facing domestic violence in foreign jurisdictions with regard to the best interest of the child<ref>Nithya Anand vs. State of NCT of Delhi and Ors.https://indiankanoon.org/doc/53310178/</ref> and for the liberal interpretation of the doctrine of 'intimate and closest concern' in the context of international custody cases.<ref>Mrs. Kanika Goel vs The State Of Delhi

https://indiankanoon.org/doc/182690117/</ref> Given that India does not statutorily recognise the principle of 'no-fault' in contested divorce cases, she has argued for the lowering of the threshold of 'fault' in the grant of divorce, in recognition of the right to privacy and autonomy of an individual.<ref>{{Cite web |title=721 Malavika Rajkotia, Thinking privacy in family law |url=https://www.india-seminar.com/2019/721/721_malavika_rajkotia.htm |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=www.india-seminar.com}}</ref> Rajkotia has advocated for an understanding of family law that does not blindly revere marriage as sacred, but instead acknowledges a more contractual arrangement, as sacredness cannot obliterate the individual's right to exit the wedlock for a just cause.<ref>{{Cite news |title=The intimate legal tangles |work=The New Indian Express |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/books/2017/mar/25/the-intimate-legal-tangles-1585091.html |access-date=2017-11-25}}</ref>

Rajkotia has handled numerous celebrity cases and stated that even though the voyeuristic interest in celebrity cases is higher, the proceedings are no different from a regular case.<ref>{{Cite news |last=David |first=Ruth |title=India's Celebrity Divorces |language=en |work=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/2006/12/19/india-bollywood-divorce-tech-media-cx_rd_1219indiadivorce.html#16fb9c731e28 |access-date=2017-11-25}}</ref> She has asserted against the perception of family law as a 'soft law', stating that it is a subject of marvellous complexity that has the potential to reform the very base of society.<ref>{{Cite web |title="The First Thing We Do, Let's Kill All The Lawyers" – Rajkotia Associates Advocates |url=https://rajkotiaassociates.in/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-lawyers/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Advocate Malavika Rajkotia on how family law is seen as 'soft-law' |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drz6ytr4TZg |language=en |access-date=2022-04-15}}</ref> In 2011, a judge in one of her cases remarked that divorce lawyers were responsible for prolonging divorce litigation. Objecting to this claim, Rajkotia wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of the [[Delhi High Court]], stating that such a view reflected a lack of understanding of the complex dynamics of matrimonial conflict. She then decided to elaborate on this notion in her book, ''Intimacy Undone,'' instead of sending the letter.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rajkotia |first1=Malavika |title=Intimacy Undone: Marriage, Divorce and Family Law in India |date=2017 |publisher=Speaking Tiger Books |isbn=978-9354472978|quote=My stung reaction was to write an open letter to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court - which I never sent because, to my surprise, it grew into this book.}}</ref>

She has worked on issues such as the protection of civil liberties from procedural laws,<ref>Sumer Singh Salkan vs Ranjeet Narayan https://indiankanoon.org/doc/24446025/</ref> gender rights, human rights and environmental concerns with various [[Non-governmental organization|NGOs]] like Sakshi and IFSHA. She has also lectured at the [[National Law University, Delhi|National Law University of Delhi]] and spoken at the Judicial Academy, in Ranchi and Delhi on family law and gender sensitisation of judges.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}}

Rajkotia was a part of the Lady Shri Ram College dramatics society and was an amateur theatre actor before choosing to pursue law full time. She worked in Hindi theatre with her teacher [[Sheila Bhatia]] of Delhi Art Theatre.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Interview With Malavika Rajkotia : www.MumbaiTheatreGuide.com |url=http://www.mumbaitheatreguide.com/dramas/interviews/malavika-rajkotia-interview.asp# |access-date=2017-11-25 |website=www.mumbaitheatreguide.com |language=en}}</ref> In addition to her work as a lawyer, she has worked in about thirty Hindi and English productions.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

== Commentary ==
Rajkotia has advocated for the concept of matrimonial property and equitable distribution in family and property law cases and has written on issues of gender,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-03-08 |title='With both genders wanting to break away from the stereotype, this results in increasing stress.' |url=https://www.indialegallive.com/cover-story-articles/focus/genders-wanting-break-away-stereotype-results-increasing-stress/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=India Legal |language=en-US}}</ref> privacy in family law,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thinking Privacy in Family Law – Rajkotia Associates Advocates |url=https://rajkotiaassociates.in/thinking-privacy-in-family-law/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |language=en-US}}</ref> [[marital rape]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Let the law prevail, not doubts |url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/let-the-law-prevail-not-doubts.html |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=theweek.in}}</ref> a rights based approach to family law,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Law Commission's Questionnaire on Uniform Civil Code – Rajkotia Associates Advocates |url=https://rajkotiaassociates.in/the-law-commissions-questionnaire-on-uniform-civil-code/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |language=en-US}}</ref> [[triple talaq]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-06-02 |title=The case against abolitionists |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/triple-talaq-muslim-women-the-case-against-abolitionists-4684993/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |author=Malavika Rajkotia |date=7 January 2018 |title=Why Modi govt's Triple Talaq Bill is divorced from reality faced by Muslim women |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/up-front/story/20180115-triple-talaq-ban-triple-talaq-bill-jail-upto-three-years-1122116-2018-01-07 |access-date=2022-04-15 |magazine=India Today |language=en}}</ref> child rights,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Should we Sign the Hague Convention? – Rajkotia Associates Advocates |url=https://rajkotiaassociates.in/should-we-sign-the-hague-convention/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |language=en-US}}</ref> and adultery.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-03-05 |title=Sexless marriage chalta hai? Book discusses loopholes in Indian divorce law |url=https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai-guide/mumbai-food/article/sexless-marriage-divorce-lawyer-book-loopholes-indian-law-love--sex-and-dhoka-18046198 |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=www.mid-day.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Rajkotia was born to a Sikh family in Karnal and lives in Delhi with her son and daughter. She was the anchor on ''Shakti,'' the first television talk show in India that focused on women's rights and acted in two episodes of a television law-based serial, ''Bhanwar''".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Malavika Rajkotia – Rajkotia Associates Advocates|url=https://rajkotiaassociates.in/malavika-rajkotia/|access-date=2021-01-05|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Bibliography ==

=== Books ===
''"Intimacy Undone: Law of Marriage, Divorce and Family in India"'' Speaking Tiger Books, 2017.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rajkotia |first=Malavika |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WuDIAQAACAAJ |title=Intimacy Undone: Marriage, Divorce and Family Law In India |date=2017-02-15 |publisher=[[Speaking Tiger Books]] |isbn=9789386582072 |language=en}}</ref>

''"Unpartitioned Time: A Daughter's Story" Speaking Tiger Books,'' 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-11 |title=Unpartitioned Time - Speaking Tiger Books |url=https://speakingtigerbooks.com/product/unpartitioned-time/ |access-date=2024-07-03 |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Articles ===
Rajkotia has also written articles for publications such as ''[[India Today]]'', ''[[The Hindustan Times]]'' and ''[[The Week (Indian magazine)|The Week]]'':

*''Let the law prevail, not doubts.'' (The Week)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/let-the-law-prevail-not-doubts.html|title=Let the law prevail, not doubts|website=theweek.in}}</ref>
* ''The case against abolitionists.''([[The Indian Express]], 2017)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/triple-talaq-muslim-women-the-case-against-abolitionists-4684993/|title=The case against abolitionists|date=2 June 2017}}</ref>
* ''Why Modi Govt's Triple Talaq is divorced from reality faced by Muslim Women.'' (India Today,2018)<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/up-front/story/20180115-triple-talaq-ban-triple-talaq-bill-jail-upto-three-years-1122116-2018-01-07|title=Why Modi govt's Triple Talaq Bill is divorced from reality faced by Muslim women|author=Malavika Rajkotia |date=7 January 2018 |magazine=India Today}}</ref>
* ''Thinking Privacy in Family Law.''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rajkotiaassociates.in/thinking-privacy-in-family-law/|title=Thinking Privacy in Family Law – Rajkotia Associates Advocates}}</ref>
* ''The Law and The Mob''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rajkotiaassociates.in/the-law-and-the-mob/|title=The Law and The Mob – Rajkotia Associates Advocates}}</ref>
* ''The Law Commission's Questionnaire on Uniform Civil Code.''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rajkotiaassociates.in/the-law-commissions-questionnaire-on-uniform-civil-code/|title=The Law Commission's Questionnaire on Uniform Civil Code – Rajkotia Associates Advocates}}</ref>
* ''Should we Sign the Hague Convention?<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rajkotiaassociates.in/should-we-sign-the-hague-convention/|title=Should we Sign the Hague Convention? – Rajkotia Associates Advocates}}</ref>''
* ''The First Thing We Do, Let's Kill All The Lawyers''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rajkotiaassociates.in/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-lawyers/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026012204/https://rajkotiaassociates.in/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-lawyers/|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 October 2020|title="The First Thing We Do, Let's Kill All The Lawyers" – Rajkotia Associates Advocates}}</ref>
* ''With both genders wanting to break away from the stereotype, this results in increasing stress''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indialegallive.com/cover-story-articles/focus/genders-wanting-break-away-stereotype-results-increasing-stress/|title='With both genders wanting to break away from the stereotype, this results in increasing stress.'|first=India|last=Legal|date=8 March 2017}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajkotia, Malavika}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Welham Girls' School alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian lawyers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women lawyers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian lawyers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women lawyers]]
[[Category:Lady Shri Ram College alumni]]

Malavika Rajkotia - Revision history

Abesh Purkait: starting initial entry with sources