Mr Himanshu Agarwal

Biography

Himanshu is a lawyer with expertise in criminal law and is currently completing a PhD at the University of Cambridge. His work explores legal histories of punishments and their continuing legacies. His research is supported by the Sheila Lesley Scholarship at Girton College, Cambridge.

Himanshu has previously practised as a capital defence lawyer in India for several years with the Square Circle Clinic (formerly Project 39A). He holds masters degrees in law from SOAS, University of London and Harvard Law School. He has taught courses on criminal procedure, the death penalty, and restorative justice at Jindal Global Law School, India.

Education

PhD Candidate, University of Cambridge, 2025 onwards

• Awards: Recipient of the Sheila Lesley Scholarship from Girton College.

LL.M., Harvard Law School, 2023.

• Dissertation: ‘Inducing Betrayal: The Evolution of Approver Evidence through the Nizamat Adalat in Colonial India’, supervised by Prof. Elizabeth Papp Kamali.
• Awards: Harvard Law School Grant for LL.M.

LL.M. (Distinction), SOAS, University of London, 2022.

• Dissertation: ‘The Rise and Fall of Whipping: Towards a Political Economy of Punishments of Colonial India’, supervised by Dr. Vanja Hamzić.
• Awards: Chevening Scholarship, full funding to pursue the L.L.M.

B.A.LL.B. Symbiosis Law School, Pune, 2013.

Work Experience

• Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School (2023 – 2025)
• Litigation Associate, Project 39A, National Law University, Delhi (2016-2020)