Sital Kalantry was born in India and emigrated to the United States at the age of four. Growing up in Queens, New York, she experienced firsthand the immigrant pursuit of opportunity and education.
She attended the prestigious Bronx High School of Science, an institution known for nurturing scientific and intellectual leaders. This rigorous environment sharpened her analytical thinking and instilled the discipline that would later define her scholarly work.
Her academic journey continued at Cornell University, where she earned her A.B. degree. She then pursued an MSc at the London School of Economics, deepening her understanding of global policy and economic frameworks. Her legal training culminated at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where she earned her J.D., preparing for a career that would bridge scholarship and impact.
Sital Kalantry: From Corporate Law to Global Human Rights
Before entering academia, Sital Kalantry practiced corporate law for seven years at leading U.S. law firms Milbank LLP and O’Melveny & Myers. These formative years gave her firsthand exposure to complex commercial transactions and global business environments.
But while corporate law sharpened her legal acumen, her deeper calling lay in addressing structural injustice and advancing human rights. This pivot was not a rejection of her corporate background; rather, it was an expansion of it.
Academic Leadership and Institutional Impact
Sital Kalantry went on to build a remarkable academic career. After teaching at Cornell Law School for 15 years, where she directed the International Human Rights Clinic, she joined Seattle University School of Law as Professor of Law and Associate Dean. There, she also became the founding director of the Roundglass India Center.
Her leadership extends far beyond the classroom. Sital Kalantry has founded or co-founded transformative academic initiatives, including:
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The Avon Global Center for Women & Justice at Cornell Law School
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The Cornell International Human Rights Clinic
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The University of Chicago International Human Rights Clinic
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The Cornell India Law Center
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The Roundglass India Center at Seattle University
Through these institutions, she has secured multimillion-dollar grants, expanded global legal education programs, and trained generations of students in international advocacy. As Associate Dean of Graduate International Programs at Seattle University School of Law, she expanded the LLM student body tenfold, creating new pathways for international scholars and practitioners.
She has also held visiting faculty appointments at University of Chicago Law School and Yale Law School, reinforcing her standing among America’s leading legal scholars.
Sital Kalantry: Fulbright Scholar and Research on the Indian Supreme Court
In 2012, Sital Kalantry was awarded the prestigious Fulbright-Nehru Senior Research Scholarship and conducted research at O.P. Jindal Global University in India. Her work focused on the functioning of the Supreme Court of India, examining its transparency, efficiency, and decision-making processes.
This research laid the groundwork for her groundbreaking book:
Court on Trial: A Data-Driven Account of the Indian Supreme Court (2022)
Published by Penguin Press, Court on Trial uses original data and empirical methods to evaluate one of the world’s most powerful constitutional courts. Rather than relying on anecdote or ideology, Sital Kalantry brought numbers, transparency, and rigorous analysis into a domain often dominated by opinion.
Her work demonstrated how data-driven scholarship can enhance judicial accountability and democratic trust.
Championing Women’s Human Rights
In her earlier book, Women’s Human Rights and Migration: Sex-Selective Abortion Laws in the United States and India (2017), Sital Kalantry tackled one of the most sensitive issues in global legal discourse: reproductive rights. The book exposes how stereotypes about Asian Americans and simplified narratives about India were used to justify abortion-restrictive legislation in parts of the United States.
Her work was recognized with the 2018 Eric Hoffer Book Award for Best Academic Press Title. Beyond awards, the book reshaped conversations around feminist legal theory, migration, and cross-border misinterpretations of culture.
Her scholarship has appeared in major journals such as the Cornell Law Review and the Stanford Journal of International Law, and her opinion essays have been published in The New York Times, Slate, and The Hill.
Remarkably, her writings have been cited by both the U.S. Supreme Court and the Indian Supreme Court—an extraordinary distinction that underscores the global reach of her scholarship.
Teaching with Purpose
In the classroom, Sital Kalantry teaches business and human rights, comparative constitutional law, and contract law. Her pedagogy reflects a rare blend of theory and practice. Having litigated before international and foreign courts—including the Indian Supreme Court, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and the Constitutional Court of Colombia.
Her excellence in teaching earned her the Kheel Family Award for Excellence in Teaching at Cornell Law School, as well as recognition for mentorship and support to women students.
Awards and Recognition
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South Asian Bar Association Public Interest Award (2021)
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Kheel Family Award for Excellence in Teaching (2019)
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2018 Eric Hoffer Book Award for Best Academic Press Title
She has secured major grants, including $1.5 million to launch the Avon Center for Women & Justice and $2.2 million to establish the Roundglass India Center.