BITS Pilani has announced the appointment of Prof. (Dr. ) Vishwas H. Devaiah as Dean of BITS Law School, Mumbai.
A founding faculty member of the institution, Devaiah has been closely associated with the establishment of the law school and has played a key role in shaping its academic and institutional framework. He had taken over as Acting Dean on January 16, 2026.
As Dean, he will oversee the law school’s academic programmes, research initiatives and institutional development while steering its long-term growth in legal education.
Announcing the appointment, BITS Pilani Vice Chancellor Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao said the law school has made significant progress since its inception and Devaiah’s appointment would ensure continuity in its academic vision and institutional priorities.
Expressing gratitude on assuming the role, Devaiah said he looked forward to working with the faculty, students and colleagues to strengthen academic excellence, promote impactful research and prepare graduates capable of making meaningful contributions to the legal profession and society.
Devaiah holds a PhD from the University of Liverpool, an LL. M. from the University of Warwick and a Bachelor of Laws degree from University Law College, Bengaluru. His academic and research interests span artificial intelligence, law and ethics, music and copyright, standard essential patents and competition law, as well as health law, bioethics and emerging medical technologies. He has also worked as a research consultant with the World Health Organization (WHO South Asia) and the Clinton Health Access Initiative, besides receiving several international research grants and scholarships.
BITS Law School, established under the aegis of BITS Pilani in Mumbai, offers five-year integrated BA LLB (Hons) and BBA LLB (Hons) programmes approved by the Bar Council of India.
