Sajad Farooq Rather

FOUNDING PRESIDENT

Sajad Farooq Rather is a distinguished lawyer hailing from the small town of Kangan, Kashmir. As the Founder President of Kashmir Law Circle, established in 2018, Sajad has dedicated his career to the vision of bridging the divide between Kashmir and the rest of India, fostering peace, justice, and youth engagement to unite the region with the broader national fabric. He is committed to advancing socio legal reforms and championing justice at regional, national, and global levels. Sajad’s social concerns began in 2016, when he was detained by the Jammu and Kashmir Police during the unrest. During this time, Sajad was detained for 19 days at the police station. However, upon his release, rather than responding with resentment to his prolonged detention, he chose the path of peace and justice, dedicating his life to engaging youth in the process of nation-building.In 2018, Sajad founded Kashmir Law Circle, and gradually, the organization began to grow with the support of law students and other young individuals who shared a common concern for Kashmir. The front-line members of Kashmir Law Circle are those who understand the region's struggles and work toward peaceful engagement and justice across Kashmir. Sajad also acknowledges that we cannot blame the government or the state for everything that happens in Kashmir. He believes that as the people of Kashmir, we too have a part to play in the greater good of Jammu and Kashmir, and he is actively contributing to that mission

After completing his law degree from Kashmir Law College at the University of Kashmir, Sajad was selected for a prestigious 15-month, full-time Leadership Fellowship Program by “Disom-The Leadership School,” which focused on ethical leadership in social and political spaces across India. This program provided him with extensive exposure to various states in India, allowing him to understand the country from multiple dimensions—social, cultural, political, developmental, leadership, and engagement. This experience significantly enhanced his ability to advocate for social change effectively. During this fellowship, Sajad became acutely aware of the communication gaps between Kashmir and the rest of the country. Reflecting on this, he dedicated himself to bridging these gaps, with a particular focus on fostering greater understanding between the two regions.

In his legal practice, Sajad has represented clients before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court and further honed his skills through a competitive fellowship, the “Freedom Innovation Fellowship,” in Delhi, where he practiced before the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. This fellowship, designed for young lawyers, aimed to drive social change through diverse impact tools. Under his leadership, Kashmir Law Circle has grown into a youth-driven movement rooted in the region’s realities and focused on peaceful engagement, constitutional literacy, access to justice, and social justice. He believes that responsibility for change lies not just with the state, but with the people of Kashmir as well—and he continues to actively contribute toward building a more just, inclusive, and united future.

Sajad’s commitment to global learning and impact is also reflected in his achievements as a fellow of the IATSS Forum Leadership Program in Japan.Most recently, Sajad has been selected to participate in the prestigious UN Youth Program 2025, organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). He will be attending official sessions at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, as part of this global program recognizing his continued advocacy .

Sajad is the only lawyer from India who has hoisted the Constitution of India at the iconic Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) in Lal Chowk, Srinagar—widely regarded as the epicenter of political symbolism in Kashmir. In a powerful gesture of constitutional affirmation, he publicly read the Preamble of the Indian Constitution in both English and Kashmiri, alongside members of Kashmir Law Circle.

As a young lawyer with a deep-rooted understanding of law, politics, and society, Sajad envisions transforming his long-term grassroots work into meaningful political intervention. He is planning to launch a series of campaigns across the Kashmir region focused on social and political justice