KJIMarquis: Added a post

2026-05-07T00:00:24Z

Added a post

New page

{{Draft article|nomove=yes}}
{{Short description|Indian writer and activist (born 1955)}}
{{BLP sources|date=December 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| birth_date = 1955
| citizenship = [[India|Indian]]
| alma_mater = [[Jawaharlal Nehru University]]
| known_for = Human Rights activism
| notable_works = <i>Framing Geelani, Hanging Afzal: Patriotism in the Time of Terror</i> (2007), and <i>The Judgement That Never Came: Army Rule in North East India</i> (2011).
| spouse = Sebastian Hongray
| mother = Urmila Haksar (nee Sapru)
| father = [[P. N. Haksar]]
}}
'''Nandita Haksar''' is a human rights activist, advocate, and writer from India. She is a prolific writer, notably known for ''Framing Geelani, Hanging Afzal: Patriotism in the Time of Terror'' (2007), and ''The Judgement That Never Came: Army Rule in North East India'' (2011)''.'' She has fought landmark human rights violations cases in the Supreme Court of India, and [[Gauhati High Court]]. She was conferred [[Doctor of Laws|LL. D.]] ([[Honoris Causa]]) in 2015 by [[NALSAR University of Law]].

== Early life ==
Nandita was born in 1955.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Nandita Haksar Papers |url=https://archives.ashoka.edu.in/paper_details/99 |access-date=17 December 2025 |website=Archives of Contemporary India}}</ref> Her parents were [[P. N. Haksar]], an Indian diplomat, and Urmila Haksar (née Sapru).<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=16 August 2015 |title=Presentation Address: LL.D. (Honoris Causa) to Ms. Nandita Haksar |url=https://nalsar.ac.in/sites/default/files/Nandita%20Haksar%20Citation.pdf |access-date=17 December 2025 |website=NALSAR University of Law}}</ref>

Haksar studied B.A. in history at [[Delhi University]] which she intended to pursue further in [[Jawaharlal Nehru University]]. However, in her final exams, she failed. She repeated the exams and failed again. Her teacher [[Uma Chakravarti]] later found that sympathisers of the [[Bharatiya Jana Sangh]] had got themselves appointed as examiners for the history papers. They deliberately failed students whose answers did not conform to the right-wing Hindu historiography.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wahab |first=Ghazala |title=First Person {{!}} Memoirs of Our Times |url=https://forceindia.net/blog/first-person-memoirs-of-our-times |access-date=17 December 2025 |website=Force: National Security and Aerospace Magazine |language=en}}</ref> Haksar studied [[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]] at Delhi University where [[Upendra Baxi]] taught her [[jurisprudence]] and [[Constitutional law]]. While still studying law, she interned with [[Indira Jaising]]. Together, they worked on a case concerning pavement dwellers in Delhi which deeply influenced Haksar's ideas of advocacy and practicing law. Thereafter, she further ventured into human rights and feminist movements in the country.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Sailish |first=Trishala |date=2020-09-11 |title=Interview with Nandita Haksar is an eminent Supreme Court lawyer, human rights activist and writer |url=https://libertatem.in/parley-with-the-pirates/interview-with-nandita-haksar-is-an-eminent-supreme-court-lawyer-human-rights-activist-and-writer/ |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=Libertatem Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Activism ==
While studying at the [[Jawaharlal Nehru University]], she began her activism with people from Northeast India in the 1970s.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Author Profile: Nandita Haksar |url=https://speakingtigerbooks.com/authors-name/nandita-haksar/ |access-date=17 December 2025 |website=Speaking Tiger |language=en-US}}</ref>

Her first case ''Sebastian M Hongray v. Union of India'', led to the landmark judgement in the country's [[Habeas corpus]] jurisprudence and [[law of tort]].<ref name=":4" /> In its judgement, the [[Supreme Court of India]] awarded compensation of custodial death even when the victim's bodies were not found.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Desai |first=D. A. |last2=Reddy |first2=O. Chinnappa |author-link2=O. Chinnappa Reddy |date=23 April 1984 |title=Sebastian M. Hongray vs Union Of India & Ors |url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1046642/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240314190347/https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1046642/ |archive-date=2024-03-14 |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=Indian Kanoon}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jaswal |first=Paramjit S. |date=2002 |title=Public Accountability for Violation of Human Rights and Judicial Activism in India: Some Observations |url=https://www.ebc-india.com/lawyer/articles/2002v3a2.htm |access-date=17 December 2025 |website=www.ebc-india.com}}</ref>

In 1983 Haksar was one of the first advocates to file a case in the [[Supreme Court of India]] challenging the constitutionality of the [[Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Author Profile: Nandita Haksar |url=https://www.thehinducentre.com/profile/author/nandita-haksar-13326/ |access-date=17 December 2025 |website=The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy |language=en}}</ref> She then took the issue to the [[United Nations]] in 1991.<ref name=":2" /> She worked as secretary of the People's Union for Democratic Rights in 1987.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nandita Haksar (India) – WikiPeaceWomen – English |url=https://wikipeacewomen.org/wpworg/en/?page_id=2521 |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=wikipeacewomen.org}}</ref>

== Books ==
Haskar is a prolific writer. She considers writing as her first love. Further, her experiences as activist and advocate have enriched her writings.<ref name=":4" /> Her books have been translated into several languages including, [[Burmese language|Burmese]], [[Tangkhul language|Tangkhul]], and [[Tamil language|Tamil]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Author Profile: Nandita Haksar |url=https://rupapublications.co.in/author-detail/nandita-haksar |access-date=17 December 2025 |website=Rupa Publications}}</ref>

* 1984. (co-edited with Luingam Luithui). ''Nagaland File: A Question of Human Rights.'' Lancer International.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Luithui |first=Luingam |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Nagaland_File.html?id=ZlNuAAAAMAAJ |title=Nagaland File: A Question of Human Rights |last2=Haksar |first2=Nandita |date=1984 |publisher=Lancer International |isbn=978-0-8364-1358-8 |language=en}}</ref>
* 1986. ''Demystification of Law for Women.'' New Delhi: Lancer Press.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Haksar |first=Nandita |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Demystification_of_Law_for_Women.html?id=wIhPmgEACAAJ |title=Demystification of Law for Women |date=1986 |publisher=Lancer Press |isbn=978-81-85096-04-9 |location=New Delhi |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Haksar |first=Nandita |url=https://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/women-law-cartoons.pdf |title=Demystification of Law for Women |publisher=Lancer Press |year=1986 |location=New Delhi |language=en}}</ref>
* 1987. (co-authored with [[Uma Chakravarti]]) ''The Delhi Riots: Three Days in the Life of a Nation.'' New Delhi: Lancer International.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chakravarti |first=Uma |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Delhi_Riots/c4TaAAAAMAAJ |title=The Delhi Riots: Three Days in the Life of a Nation |last2=Haksar |first2=Nandita |date=1987 |publisher=Lancer International |isbn=978-81-7062-020-4 |language=en}}</ref>

* 2007. ''Framing Geelani, Hanging Afzal: Patriotism in the Time of Terror.'' New Delhi: Promilla & Co and Bibliophile South Asia.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Haksar |first=Nandita |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Framing_Geelani_Hanging_Afzal/2oXaAAAAMAAJ |title=Framing Geelani, Hanging Afzal: Patriotism in the Time of Terror |date=2007 |publisher=Promilla & Company, Publishers |isbn=978-81-85002-80-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kundnani |first=Arun |date=2009-01-01 |title=Reviews: Framing Geelani, Hanging Afzal: patriotism in the time of terror By NANDITA HAKSAR (New Delhi, Promilla & Co. / Bibliophile South Asia, 2007), 348 pp. Rs 450 |url=https://doi.org/10.1177/03063968090500030603 |journal=Race & Class |language=EN |volume=50 |issue=3 |pages=106–108 |doi=10.1177/03063968090500030603 |issn=0306-3968|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
* 2009. ''Rogue Agent: How India’s Military Intelligence Betrayed the Burmese Resistance.'' New Delhi: Penguin Books India.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Haksar |first=Nandita |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Rogue_Agent.html?id=vkXJveQavMEC |title=Rogue Agent: How India's Military Intelligence Betrayed the Burmese Resistance |date=2009 |publisher=Penguin Books India |isbn=978-0-14-306489-3 |language=en}}</ref>

* 2011. (co-authored with Sebastian Hongray). ''The Judgement That Never Came: Army Rule in North East India.'' New Delhi: Chicken Neck Publications.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Haksar |first=Nandita |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Judgement_that_Never_Came.html?id=dEVAMwEACAAJ |title=The Judgement that Never Came: Army Rule in North East India |last2=Hongray |first2=Sebastian M. |date=2011 |publisher=Bibliophile South Asia |isbn=978-81-920722-3-4 |language=en}}</ref>
* 2011. ''ABC of Naga Culture and Civilization''.
* 2014. ''Across The Chicken Neck: Travels in Northeast India.'' New Delhi: Rupa Publications.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 February 2025 |title=Books {{!}} Across The Chicken Neck: Travels in Northeast India. |url=https://rupapublications.co.in/book/across-the-chicken-neck-travels-in-northeast-india |access-date=17 December 2025 |website=Rupa Publications}}</ref>
* 2015. ''The Many Faces of Kashmiri Nationalism: From the Cold War to the Present Day.'' New Delhi: Speaking Tiger.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Haksar |first=Nandita |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Many_Faces_of_Kashmiri_Nationalism/FUC9DAEACAAJ |title=The Many Faces of Kashmiri Nationalism |date=2015-08-20 |publisher=Speaking Tiger Publishing Pvt Limited |isbn=978-93-85288-77-7 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=9 November 2021 |title=The Many Faces Of Kashmiri Nationalism From the Cold War to the Present Day |url=https://speakingtigerbooks.com/product/the-many-faces-of-kashmiri-nationalism-from-the-cold-war-to-the-present-day/ |access-date=17 December 2025 |website=Speaking Tiger Books |language=en-US}}</ref>
* 2016. (co-authored with Mohammed Aamir Khan). ''Framed as a Terrorist: My 14-year Struggle to Prove My Innocence.'' New Delhi: Speaking Tiger.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Khan |first=Mohammed Aamir |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Framed_as_a_Terrorist/wxu7jwEACAAJ |title=Framed as a Terrorist: My 14-year Struggle to Prove My Innocence |last2=Haksar |first2=Nandita |date=2016 |publisher=Speaking Tiger |isbn=978-93-85755-22-4 |language=en}}</ref>
* 2019. (co-authored with Sebastian Hongray). ''Kuknalim: Naga Armed Resistance: Testimonies of Leaders, Pastors, Healers and Soldiers.'' New Delhi: Speaking Tiger.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Haksar |first=Nandita |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/gjJexwEACAAJ |title=Kuknalim, Naga Armed Resistance: Testimonies of Leaders, Pastors, Healers and Soldiers |last2=Hongray |first2=Sebastian M. |date=2019 |publisher=Speaking Tiger |isbn=978-93-88874-93-9 |language=en}}</ref>
* 2022. ''[[Forgotten Refugees (book)|Forgotten Refugees: Two Iraqi Brothers in India.]]'' New Delhi: Speaking Tiger.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-31 |title=Books {{!}} Forgotten Refugees |url=https://speakingtigerbooks.com/product/forgotten-refugees-two-iraqi-brothers-in-india/ |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=Speaking Tiger Books |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Haksar |first=Nandita |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Forgotten_Refugees/zBKV0QEACAAJ |title=Forgotten Refugees: Two Iraqi Brothers in India |date=2022 |publisher=Speaking Tiger Books LLP |isbn=978-93-5447-310-4 |language=en}}</ref>
* 2023. (co-authored with Anjali Deshpande). ''Japanese Management, Indian Resistance: The Struggles of the Maruti Suzuki Workers.'' New Delhi: Speaking Tiger.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Deshpande |first=Anjali |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Japanese_Management_Indian_the_Struggles/YELtzwEACAAJ |title=Japanese Management, Indian the Struggles of the Maruti Suzuki Workers |last2=Haksar |first2=Nandita |date=2023 |publisher=Speaking Tiger Books Llp |isbn=978-93-5447-418-7 |location=New Delhi |language=en}}</ref>
* 2023. ''Shooting the Sun Why Manipur Was Engulfed by Violence and the Government Remained Silent.'' New Delhi: Speaking Tiger.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-13 |title=Book {{!}} Shooting the Sun: Why Manipur Was Engulfed by Violence and the Government Remained Silent |url=https://speakingtigerbooks.com/product/shooting-the-sun/ |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=Speaking Tiger |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Haksar |first=Nandita |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Shooting_the_Sun_Why_Manipur_Was_Engulfe/AKuW0AEACAAJ |title=Shooting the Sun Why Manipur Was Engulfed by Violence and the Government Remained Silent |date=2023-12-20 |publisher=Speaking Tiger Books Llp |isbn=978-93-5447-703-4 |language=en}}</ref>

== Awards ==
Haksar was conferred [[Doctor of Laws|LL. D.]] ([[Honoris Causa]]) in 2015 by [[NALSAR University of Law]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 August 2015 |title=Leading human rights lawyer, Ms Nandita Haksar, conferred LL.D. (Honoris Causa) |url=https://nalsar.ac.in/leading-human-rights-lawyer-ms-nandita-haksar-conferred-lld-honoris-causa |access-date=17 December 2025 |website=NALSAR University of Law}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-08-17 |title=‘Legal education always got a raw deal’ |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/legal-education-always-got-a-raw-deal/article7550047.ece |access-date=2025-12-17 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Her citation noted,<blockquote>Ms. Nandita has shown us that advocacy is not about taking on cases, but causes. It is about speaking with those whose voices have been muffled, gagged or silenced. That advocacy is not limited to courts and litigation but extends to grass-root mobilization, opinion-making, and education.<ref name=":3" /></blockquote>Other awards include,

* 2022. ''Rotary Writing For Peace Award.''<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=4 November 2022 |title=Tata Lit Fest: 'Peace Award' for Nandita Haksar! |url=https://www.goanobserver.in/2022/11/04/tata-lit-fest-peace-award-for-nandita-haksar/ |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=Goan Observer |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mathew |first=Ashlin |date=2022-11-11 |title=Peace cannot be achieved by simple writing, one needs to listen to others: Nandita Haksar |url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/interview/peace-cannot-be-achieved-by-simple-writing-one-needs-to-listen-to-others-nandita-haksar |access-date=2025-12-17 |website=National Herald |language=en}}</ref>

== Archives ==
Haksar's collection of transcripts, documents, press clippings, and letters are archives at the 'Archives of Contemporary India' hosted at the [[Ashoka University]]. They provide insights into her work on human rights with India's tribal population, migrant workers, and activists, especially from [[Northeast India]] and [[Kashmir]]. They also feature work with refugees and Burmese activists.<ref name=":0" />

== Personal life ==
Haksar lives in Delhi, [[Goa]], and [[Ukhrul]] with her husband Sebastian Hongray.<ref name=":1" />

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://scroll.in/author/10417 Haksar's writings for Scroll.in]
* [https://thewire.in/author/nandita-haksar Haksar's writings for The Wire]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haksar, Nandita}}
{{Draft categories|
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Indian women human rights activists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women writers]]
[[Category:Date of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
}}

Nandita Haksar - Revision history

KJIMarquis: Added a post