The ILS Law College, Pune is pleased to announce the 21st Prof. S.P. Sathe International Conference on Fragile Peaks, Shared Risks: Transboundary Harm, Disaster Governance and Regional Cooperation in the Himalayas, to be organised in hybrid mode on 9 and 10 January 2027.

ABOUT INDIAN LAW SOCIETY:
The Indian Law Society was established in the year 1923 with an aim of advancing legal education in pre-independent India. In 1924, with this profound vision, the Indian Law Society formally established the Law College, Poona—now known as ILS Law College, Pune—with a focused agenda to provide socially relevant and professionally desired legal education grounded in scientific principles.

ABOUT ILS LAW COLLEGE, PUNE:
Established in 1924, ILS Law College is one of the oldest law schools in India and has been playing a pioneering role in legal education and scholarship in the country. In its 103rd year since its establishment, the Law College has acquired the reputation of being a premier institution imparting quality legal education. The College is accredited with ‘A’ grade by NAAC and is persistently ranked amongst top 10 law schools in the country.

ABOUT ‘REMEMBERING S.P. SATHE’:
Professor Dr. Satyaranjan Purushottam Sathe was a distinguished legal luminary and a renowned academician who held various positions in Universities and Law Institutes of repute. He was the Principal of ILS Law College from 1976 to 1991, and the Secretary of the Indian Law Society until 2002. He established the ILS Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. He was also the President of the Maharashtra People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), and a Vice President of the National PUCL.
Professor S. P. Sathe is an acknowledged authority on Constitutional and Administrative Law, within the country and abroad. His work on ‘Judicial Activism’ is appreciated worldwide. Books to his credit are, ‘Administrative Law’, ‘Judicial Activism in India: Transgressing Borders and Enforcing Limits’, and ‘Right to Know’. His commitment to Rights and Liberties of the people was deep and abiding.
Professor S. P. Sathe Foundation, set up by the Indian Law Society, organizes “Remembering S.P. Sathe” event annually, consisting of a Public Memorial Lecture, Moot Court Competition, and a Conference at ILS Law College, Pune, on a specific theme with a view to commemorate his contribution to Indian Jurisprudence and Social Action and to encourage academic pursuit of law students. The academic year 2026-27 will see ILS holding the 21st edition of “Remembering S P Sathe” event on the theme of Climate Justice and Disaster Governance in the Himalayan Region.

ABOUT THE TWO-DAY INTERDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE:
The Himalayas are among the world’s most ecologically fragile and geopolitically sensitive regions. Glacial melt, landslides, earthquakes, flash floods and infrastructure development create risks that cross national borders. The conference will bring together scholars, practitioners and policymakers to examine transboundary harm, disaster governance, climate justice and regional cooperation. The conference examines the growing challenges of climate change, natural disasters and transboundary harm in the Himalayan region. It aims to encourage meaningful dialogue and develop legal and policy recommendations for sustainable and cooperative Himalayan development.

Themes of the Conference:
Session 1: Principles of State Responsibility, Transboundary Harm, and applicability to the Nepal Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Disaster
This session aims to understand the link between Climate Change and the sensitivity of the Himalayan region, its geopolitics, the international legal principles governing disputes regarding transboundary harm and state responsibility and the validity of Nepal’s claim to the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage.

Session 2: Cooperation beyond Sovereignty: Disaster Diplomacy in the Himalayan Region
The session aims to discuss the International legal framework for disaster risk reduction (Sendai Framework) and disaster response and relief, disaster risk reduction strategies for coordinated development of the Himalayan region and the relevance of the groupings of the South Asian region (SAARC/ BBIN/ BIMSTEC) for this purpose.

Session 3: Panel Discussion - Disaster Management Laws in the Himalayan Region
ThE panel discussion aims to compare disaster laws of the Himalayan countries to identify common legal and bureaucratic challenges faced during implementation of disaster risk reduction strategies and disaster management plans and best practices regarding the same.

Session 4: Post-Disaster Recovery - Issues and Challenges
This session aims to discuss the political and legal dimensions of financing post-disaster recovery in an affected country, the legal and bureaucratic hurdles faced by survivors, and the role of civil society in post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation efforts.

Session 5: Indian Environmental Laws and the Himalayan Region
The session aims to discuss the Environmental and Social Governance Standards and their relevance for economic activities in the Himalayan region and the implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification.

Who Can Contribute:
We invite Indian and International Students, Researchers, Ph.D. Scholars, Academicians and Professionals/Practitioners from the field of law and humanities to attend the conference and present papers.

Indicative themes for the paper presentations:
● Principles for determination of attribution and causation in climate-induced disasters
● Nepal’s claim to the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage: Eligibility, Access and Legal basis
● Governing sharing and use of technology for data sharing and early warning systems across borders
● The Sendai Framework, international disaster response law and the rights of affected states and persons
● The role of SAARC, BBIN and BIMSTEC in coordinated regional response
● Disaster legislation across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan and Myanmar after the Sendai Framework
● Financing recovery: climate finance, concessional lending, debt and the political economy of aid
● Reconstituting ‘aid’ for climate-induced disaster as ‘reparations’ for harm caused by global emitters
● Issues in implementation of the EIA Notification in the Himalayan region, including post-facto and ex post clearances
● Roles of the State Pollution Control Boards, NDMA and MoEFCC in grant of clearances for developmental projects in the Himalayas
● Judicial responses: the National Green Tribunal, High Courts and the Supreme Court on Himalayan development
● ESG standards, corporate accountability, and due diligence for hydropower, mining, roads, and tourism in the Himalayan region

Submission Guidelines:
● Abstract: 250-300 words outlining research question, methodology, and relevance to session theme.
● Full Paper: 4,000-6,000 words including references (Bluebook 21st edition citation format).
● Authorship: Up to two authors per paper. (Each author is required to register separately)
● Format: Word document, Times New Roman, 12 pt, 1.5 spacing.
● Email for Submissions: spsatheconference@ilslaw.in

Important Dates:
Abstract Submission: 25 November, 2026
Notification of Acceptance: 30 November, 2026
Full Paper Submission: 31 December, 2026
Dates of Conference: 9-10 January, 2027


For more details, click here: https://ilslaw.edu/event/21st-prof-s-p-sathe-international-conference-9-10-january-2027-call-for-papers/
For registration, click here: https://ilslaw.edu/event/attendees-form/1261718/