Dr. Usha Ramanathan is an internationally recognized expert on law and poverty. She studied law at Madras University, the University of Nagpur and received her PhD from Delhi University. She has taught in many universities around the world, including the Indian Law Institute in Delhi and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London where she is regular guest professor. Her research interests include human rights, displacement, torts and environment. She has published extensively in India and abroad. In particular, she has devoted her attention to a number of specific issues such as the Bhopal gas disaster, the Narmada valley dams or slum eviction in Delhi. She is a frequent adviser to non-governmental organisations and international organizations, from the Narmada Bachao Andolan to various UN bodies, in particular concerning human rights issues. She is also the South Asia Editor of the Law, Environment and Development Journal (LEAD Journal). She has written numerous contributions, many of which can be found at  http://www.ielrc.org/about_ramanathan.php and is co-editor of Water Law for the 21st Century: National and International Aspects of Water Law Reforms in India (Routledge, forthcoming 2009).