Ved Nanda, DU professor and legal scholar, dies at 90

6 January 2024, 00:17 published

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Nanda was an international law expert and human rights champion. He passed away on New Year’s Day.

DENVER — Ved Nanda, a University of Denver emeritus professor, international law expert and human rights champion, died on Monday among family and friends. He was 90.

Nanda was a professor at DU for almost 60 years, where he founded the International Legal Studies Program in 1972, the university said in a news release. He also served as director of the Ved Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law since its creation in 2006.

At the American Bar Association, Nanda was a founder and permanent member of the Center for Human Rights and was a recipient of the International Law Section’s Louis B. Sohn Award for “distinguished, longstanding contributions to the field of public international law.”

“Beyond his manifold professional accomplishments and impact, Ved was widely beloved for his unfailing personal warmth and generosity, which reflected his love of humanity and his commitment to exalting and securing human dignity,” the American Bar Association said in a release. “He believed in the power of a just rule of law to both reflect and protect the best of human nature, and he advanced that belief in his life and work.”

Nanda also held leadership positions in the World Jurist Association, American Society of International Law, International Law Association and American Law Institute. He served as a U.S. delegate to the World Federation of the United Nations Association in Geneva and was on the governing council of the United Nations Association of the USA, according to DU.

He wrote or co-wrote 24 books and more than 225 chapters and law review articles and was a regular commentator in media, including on 9NEWS.

“Among his many professional accomplishments, Ved was a pioneering figure in the field of international law, a transformative teacher and mentor, a dedicated institutional citizen, a civic leader, and a treasured colleague,” said Bruce Smith, dean of the DU Sturm College of Law.

DU said that a community celebration of life likely will be coordinated by the Sturm College of Law. The university said it will provide more details once plans are finalized.