Dr. Varottil Umakanth (NLS Batch 1995) came down to NLSIU for a lecture on “Capital Markets and the Regulatory State in India”, on August 17, 2018. Dr. Umakanth is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore.
A short abstract of the lecture is as follows: 
“My goal in this lecture is to analyze the regulatory apparatus governing the capital markets in India, and to explore the role and performance of India’s regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). After examining the evolution of SEBI as a capital markets regulator and the gradual expansion of its role, I will highlight and discuss the key issues and controversies that have surrounded its functioning, and conclude with some critical analysis and normative observations”.
Dr. Umakanth specializes in corporate law and governance, mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. While his work is generally comparative in nature, his specific focus is on India and Singapore. He has co-authored books on Singapore law and practice, published articles in international journals and founded the Indian Corporate Law Blog. He has also taught on a visiting basis at the Fordham Law School, New York and at various law schools in India and other countries. He is the recipient of several academic medals and honours.
Prior to his foray into academia, Dr Umakanth was a partner at a pre-eminent law firm in India. During that time, he was also ranked as a leading corporate/mergers & acquisitions lawyer in India by the Chambers Global Guide.