Kolkata : What does it mean to become a lawyer in a world where law increasingly intersects with business, technology, governance, ethics and society?
For the new batch of students at Heritage Law College, the question was not left for a textbook to answer.
It became the central spirit of CONCORD 2026, the Induction and Orientation Programme organised by Heritage Law College on 30th September 2026 to welcome its new students and introduce them to the larger world of legal education and the legal profession.
The programme brought together distinguished voices from the judiciary, corporate legal practice and professional governance, offering students perspectives that extended well beyond the conventional boundaries of classroom learning.
The students had the opportunity to hear from Justice Subrata Talukdar (Retd.), Former Justice, Calcutta High Court as the Chief Guest, whose distinguished judicial experience offered insights into the meaning of justice, responsibility and the role of law in society.
Shri Prabir Kumar Mitra, Chief Legal Officer, RPSG Group as the Guest of Honour, brought the perspective of contemporary corporate legal practice, highlighting the increasingly important interface between law, business, governance and institutional decision-making.
Adding another important dimension was CS Anil Dubey, Former Chairman, The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) as the Guest of Honour, whose professional experience provided students with perspectives on corporate governance, compliance, ethics and the responsibilities that accompany professional leadership.
Beyond the textbook
For Heritage Law College, CONCORD 2026 was conceived not merely as a formal welcome programme, but as an opportunity to help students understand that studying law and practising law are two different journeys — and both demand intellectual curiosity, ethical grounding and a sense of responsibility.
The interaction with eminent professionals gave the students an opportunity to look at law through multiple lenses: as an instrument of justice, as a framework for responsible business, as a pillar of governance and as a force that influences everyday life.
The programme also underlined the importance of exposing students to practitioners and thought leaders at the very beginning of their academic journey.
“A beginning that asks bigger questions”
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pradip Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer, Heritage Group of Institutions, said:
“At Heritage, we believe that education begins when a student starts asking questions that go beyond the syllabus. CONCORD 2026 was designed to give our new students an early understanding of the responsibility that comes with choosing Law as a profession. The presence and insights of eminent personalities from the judiciary, corporate legal world and professional institutions made this beginning particularly meaningful.”
He added that the objective of legal education must go beyond producing professionals who know the law.
“The larger objective is to nurture professionals who understand the consequences of the law, respect its ethical foundations and appreciate their responsibility towards society,” he said.
A new generation enters the legal world
For the students, CONCORD 2026 marked the beginning of a new chapter — one that will take them from classrooms and case studies to a profession where decisions can have consequences far beyond the individual.
The programme served as a reminder that the journey of a lawyer does not begin with a courtroom appearance.
It begins much earlier — with curiosity, questioning, values and the willingness to understand why the law matters.
With CONCORD 2026, the new batch of Heritage Law College has taken its first step into that journey.
And their first lesson may well have been the simplest one: before learning the law, learn to understand its purpose.
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