J. Sai Deepak

{{Infobox person

| name = Jayakumar Sai Deepak

| image = J Sai Deepak,2017 (On RSTV) (cropped).png

| alt = J. Sai Deepak in 2017 on RSTV

| caption = Deepak in 2017

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1985}}

| birth_place = Hyderabad, India

| birth_name =

| nationality =

| occupation = Lawyer, writer, columnist

| education = Mechanical engineering
Law

| alma_mater = Anna University,
IIT Kharagpur

| notable_works = India that is Bharat (2021)
India, Bharat and Pakistan (2022)

| awards =

| website = {{URL|https://jsaideepak.com/}}

}}

Jayakumar Sai Deepak (born 1985) is an Indian HindutvaHindutva

{{cite book | last=Jacobsen | first=Knut A. | title=Routledge Handbook of Contemporary India | publisher=Routledge | publication-place=Abingdon, Oxon New York, NY | date=2023 | isbn=978-1-003-27843-6|editor-first=Rohit|editor-last=Chopra|chapter=International Networks Supporting Hindutva|chapter-url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003278436-16/international-networks-supporting-hindutva-rohit-chopra|doi=10.4324/9781003278436|page=222|quote=Hindutva ideologues, like J. Sai Deepak, have also found mainstream English-language publishers like Bloomsbury India and Penguin Books India much more amenable to publishing their work, which more often than not substitutes crudely nationalist historical and social perspectives for scholarly quality}}
{{cite journal | last=Hew | first=Wai Weng | last2=Chan | first2=Nicholas | title=Idealized Past, Exclusivist Present: Right-wing Appropriation of the Decolonial Rhetoric in Malaysia | journal=Critical Asian Studies | volume=56 | issue=4 | date=2024 | issn=1467-2715 | doi=10.1080/14672715.2024.2400219 | pages=625–651|quote=Walter Mignolo, had to apologize on Facebook after he endorsed a book written by Sai Deepak, a Hindu supremacist who used decolonial frameworks to legitimize problematic Hindutva ideas.}}
{{cite journal | last=Hull | first=George | title=Varieties of intellectual decolonisation: an introduction | journal=Social Dynamics | volume=49 | issue=2 | date=4 May 2023 | issn=0253-3952 | doi=10.1080/02533952.2023.2243077 | pages=185–195|quote=Sai Deepak – who is, like Ram Swarup, a prominent voice in the Hindutva current of thought and political activism}} activist, lawyer, columnist and author.{{cite journal | last=Kunnummal | first=Ashraf | title=Islamic Liberation Theology and Decolonial Studies: The Case of Hindutva Extractivism | journal=Religions | publisher=MDPI AG | volume=14 | issue=9 | date=2023-08-22 | issn=2077-1444 | doi=10.3390/rel14091080 | doi-access=free | page=1080|quote= Of the Hindutva propagandists who deploy decolonial studies, J. Sai Deepak is the only one who has written substantively on it.}} As a counsel, he practices before the Supreme Court of India and the High Court of Delhi.{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|2076261680}} |title=Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala too has rights under Article 21, SC told |agency=Indo-Asian News Service |date=26 July 2018 }}{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|2076507987}} |title=Sabarimala case: Deity living person, has right to privacy, women devotees to SC |newspaper=Indian Express |location=Mumbai |date=27 July 2018 }} In 2024, along with 70 other advocates, he was designated as Senior Advocate by Delhi High Court.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-30 |title=J. Sai Deepak Among 71 Advocates Designated Senior Advocate By Delhi High Court, Supreme Court Conferrs Designation On Newly Appointed ASG|url=https://www.verdictum.in/news/j-sai-deepak-delhi-high-court-senior-advocate-designation-1559572 |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=Verdictum |language=en}}

He writes columns for The Indian Express and The Open Magazine. He has authored two books about decoloniality in relation to India: India That Is Bharat (2021) and India, Bharat and Pakistan (2022) with two mores books to come covering the era of partition.{{Not verified in body|date=March 2025}}

Education

Deepak attended St. Anthony's High School, Hyderabad. He then graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Anna University and completed law from IIT Kharagpur's Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law.{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|2083283397}} |last1=Iyer |first1=Lakshmi |title=Small talk: The Deity's Advocate |newspaper=Mumbai Mirror |date=6 August 2018 }}

Career

Deepak has been part of Basmati Geographical Indication litigation, as the Special Counsel for the State Govt of Madhya Pradesh, seeking inclusion of MP as part of the Basmati Geographical Indication.{{Cite web |title=The State Government Of Madhya Pradesh vs Union Of India & Ors on 25 April, 2019 |url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/73658577/ }}

Deepak argued the case against the entry of women to Sabarimala Temple and had supported 'ready to wait' campaign. He argued against the entry, stating that the Hindu deity Ayyappan observes naishtika brahmacharya ("lifelong celibacy").{{Cite web |date=February 2019 |title=Written Submissions to the Supreme Court of India in the Sabarimala Temple Entry Case |url=https://peoplefordharma.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Sabarimala-Written-Submissions-1.pdf}} He was also a counsel in a petition to allow priests of any caste to be priests at Sabarimala, the priesthood at the temple has historically been open to only Malayali Brahmins.{{Cite web |date=22 February 2023 |title=Written Submissions in the Vishnunarayan vs State of Kerala case |url=https://www.peoplefordharma.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/14484_Written_Submission-3.pdf}} The Kerala High Court ruled in favor of the traditional practices.

Deepak represented the Travancore royal family for their right to manage the estates of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.{{Cite web |date=April 2019 |title=Written Submissions to the Supreme Court of India in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple Administration Case |url=https://peoplefordharma.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Padmanabhaswamy-Written-Submissions.pdf}} The Supreme Court of India ruled in favor of the family.{{Cite web |last=Vishwanath |first=Apurva |date=2020-07-13 |title=Explained: Padmanabhaswamy temple case, and what the verdict means for the Travancore royal family |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-the-padmanabhaswamy-temple-case-and-what-verdict-means-for-travancore-royal-family-6503543/ |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=13 July 2020 |title=Sri Marthanda Varma vs State of Kerala |url=https://main.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2011/10179/10179_2011_32_1501_22898_Judgement_13-Jul-2020.pdf |website=Supreme Court of India}}

Deepak was the counsel for Anand Ranganathan in the contempt of court case against the latter for endorsing the criticism of Justice S. Muralidhar by S Gurumurthy and Vivek Agnihotri.{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|2817965951}} |title='Am a free speech absolutist': Author Anand Ranganathan in contempt case |agency=Indo-Asian News Service |date=24 May 2023 }} The Delhi High Court closed the proceedings against Ranganathan.{{Cite web |last=Thapliyal |first=Nupur |date=2024-01-03 |title=Delhi High Court Closes Proceedings Against Anand Ranganathan In Criminal Contempt Case For Tweets Against Justice S Muralidhar |url=https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/delhi-high-court/delhi-high-court-anand-ranganathan-criminal-contempt-case-tweets-justice-s-muralidhar-245737 |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=www.livelaw.in |language=en}}

Views

File:Dulal_Roy,_Sai_Deepak_and_Dr._Dhrubajyoti_Bora_in_Assam_Book_Fair_2023.jpg in an event during Assam Book Fair 2023, Guwahati.]]

Deepak writes two blogs, one named Yukti on constitutional theory and legal philosophy; and one named The Demanding Mistress on civil, commercial and intellectual property law. An article in the latter blog was cited by the Madras High Court in its decision on the TVS Motor Company vs. Bajaj Auto Limited intellectual property dispute.{{Cite web |last=Madras High Court |date=18 May 2009 |title=M/S TVS Motor Company Limited vs M/S Bajaj Auto Limited on 18 May, 2009 |url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1721105/ |website=indiankanoon.org}}

Deepak is a Hindutva activist. He believes that the several good qualities of the knowledge systems of ancient Hindu civilization, mixed with the good qualities of modern education systems, can be a template for modern Indian education systems, which he considers to have multiple drawbacks.{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/j-sai-deepak-is-wrong-indian-democracy-is-not-hindu-will-8690455/ |last=Sijoria |first=Siddharth |title=J Sai Deepak is wrong: Indian democracy is not Hindu will|date=28 June 2023 |website=The Indian Express}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2023/07/24/isolation-conservatism-and-buzzwords-what-drives-the-lucrative-market-for-right-wing-influencers|last=Sen |first=Raj Shekhar |title=Isolation, conservatism and buzzwords: What drives the lucrative market for right-wing influencers|date=24 July 2023 |website=newslaundry}} He opposes the Dravidian movement and Periyarite thought, and claims they are Western interventions in Southern Indian societal faultlines.{{Cite web |last=T. Mayura Priyan |date=2023-10-08 |title=Sanatana Dharma and the Dravidian Movement: A response to J. Sai Deepak — 2 – The Leaflet |url=https://theleaflet.in/sanatana-dharma-and-the-dravidian-movement-a-response-to-j-sai-deepak-2/ |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=theleaflet.in |language=en-US}} He has written an article, where he discussed limitations imposed by the Indian Constitution against Hindu majoritarian expression. He had criticized the provisions for Hindu majority authority being subject to judicial review and being overruled if it conflicts with constitutional morality.

Deepak's talks on the Karnataka hijab ban at St. Stephen's College, and on minority rights at Jamia Millia Islamia respectively, were cancelled despite receiving permission in what was termed by some journalists as the advent of cancel culture and deplatforming in India.{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=Utpal |date=2022-02-28 |title=The issue with St. Stephen's College isn't just confined to cancel culture; its very DNA is a problem |url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/the-issue-with-st-stephens-college-isnt-just-confined-to-cancel-culture-its-very-dna-is-a-problem-10415281.html |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=Firstpost |language=en}} Deepak's talk on the Uniform Civil Code in Bengaluru at a Karnataka Bar Association event was faced with opposition from a group of lawyers who wanted the event to be cancelled in an attempted case of deplatforming, but it wasn't.{{Cite web |last=Shukla |first=Suchita |date=2023-09-01 |title=Karnataka Bar Council Ignores Demand By Lawyers' Organisation To Cancel Sai Deepak's Talk On UCC, Event Witnesses Huge Crowd |url=https://www.verdictum.in/news/uniform-civil-code-all-india-lawyers-association-for-justice-1492654 |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=www.verdictum.in |language=en}}

Deepak has participated in multiple debates, the prominent ones being with Saurabh Kirpal on same sex marriage;{{Cite web |last=Menon |first=Vandana |date=2023-07-20 |title=Can Parliament be trusted with LGBTQ rights? Star lawyers Sai Deepak, Saurabh Kirpal debate |url=https://theprint.in/feature/around-town/can-parliament-be-trusted-with-lgbtq-rights-star-lawyers-sai-deepak-saurabh-kirpal-debate/1676638/ |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}} with S. Y. Quraishi and Manish Tewari on the Uniform Civil Code;{{Cite news |last=Bureau |first=The Hindu |date=2023-08-06 |title=Debate without draft Uniform Civil Code is a non-issue, says ex-CEC S.Y. Quraishi |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/debate-without-draft-uniform-civil-code-is-a-non-issue-says-ex-cec-sy-quraishi/article67164351.ece |access-date=2024-02-14 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}} with Shashi Tharoor on decoloniality;{{Cite web |last=Kabilan |first=Kannalmozhi |date=2021-09-11 |title=The reality of the nationalism debate |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2021/Sep/11/the-reality-of-thenationalism-debate-2357071.html |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}} and with AG Krishna Menon and Sanjay Nirupam on nationalism.{{Cite web |title=Decolonising India: Is Bharat trying to reinvent itself? |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/decolonising-india-bharat-attempts-to-reinvent-debate-authors-mumbai-conclave-2293403-2022-11-04 |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=India Today |language=en}} Deepak is also a frequent orator, having spoken at multiple universities, as well as at literature and cultural festivals.{{Cite web |last= |date=2022-12-18 |title=Those in power must be held accountable |url=https://starofmysore.com/those-in-power-must-be-held-accountable/ |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=Star of Mysore |language=en-US}}

Publications

=Books=

India That Is Bharat: Coloniality, Civilisation, Constitution. New Delhi: Bloomsbury. 2021. {{ISBN|978-93-5435-249-2}}.{{Cite journal |last=Sen |first=Anandaroop |date=2023-05-04 |title=J Sai Deepak's India that is Bharat: Coloniality, Civilisation, Constitution . Bloomsbury 2021 |journal=Social Dynamics |language=en |volume=49 |issue=2 |pages=376–385 |doi=10.1080/02533952.2023.2236899 |issn=0253-3952|doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal |last1=Valluvan |first1=Sivamohan |last2=Kapoor |first2=Nisha |date=June 2023 |title=Sociology after the postcolonial: Response to Julian Go's 'thinking against empire' |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1468-4446.12995 |journal=The British Journal of Sociology |language=en |volume=74 |issue=3 |pages=310–323 |doi=10.1111/1468-4446.12995 |issn=0007-1315}}{{Cite journal |last=Dann |first=Philipp |date=2023-12-22 |title=Southern turn, Northern implications: rethinking the meaning of colonial legacies for Comparative Constitutional Studies |url=https://www.elgaronline.com/view/journals/ccs/1/2/article-p174.xml |journal=Comparative Constitutional Studies |language=en |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=174–196 |doi=10.4337/ccs.2023.0016 |issn=2752-9665}}{{Cite web |last=Yadav |first=Yogendra |date=2022-05-06 |title=India needs to challenge colonialism in its own language. But solution isn't Hindu worldview |url=https://theprint.in/opinion/india-needs-to-challenge-colonialism-in-its-own-language-but-solution-isnt-hindu-worldview/944406/ |access-date=2024-03-03 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}
India, Bharat and Pakistan: The Constitutional Journey of a Sandwiched Civilisation. New Delhi: Bloomsbury. 2022. {{ISBN|978-93-5435-301-7}}.{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=Utpal |date=2022-09-06 |title=How India, a victim of conflicting colonialities, is coming out of slumber to reboot its tampered mind |url=https://www.firstpost.com/opinion-news-expert-views-news-analysis-firstpost-viewpoint/how-india-a-victim-of-conflicting-colonialities-is-coming-out-of-slumber-to-reboot-its-tampered-mind-11191361.html |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=Firstpost |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Yadav |first=Yogendra |date=2022-05-06 |title=India needs to challenge colonialism in its own language. But solution isn't Hindu worldview |url=https://theprint.in/opinion/india-needs-to-challenge-colonialism-in-its-own-language-but-solution-isnt-hindu-worldview/944406/ |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|2754825320}} |title=Re-Discovering Bharat |newspaper=Star of Mysore |date=16 December 2022 }}