Jamshedpur — Reinforcing its commitment to blending legal awareness with managerial education, XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, had the honour of hosting Shri Rajiv Ranjan, Advocate General, State of Jharkhand, for a guest session on “The Role of the State in Resolving Industrial Disputes.” The session was conducted for the MBA-HRM cohort as part of the elective course Labour Law Applications, led by Mr. Harbhajan Singh, Chief Strategy & HR, XLRI Delhi-NCR.
Shri Rajiv Ranjan was appointed as the 12th Advocate General of Jharkhand on February 7, 2020, and previously held the position of Additional Advocate General from 2011 to 2012. A graduate in Chemistry from Ramjas College, University of Delhi, and an LL.B. from Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi, he enrolled as an advocate in 1994. Over the course of his career, he has represented the state in a wide range of constitutional, labour, civil and criminal matters, and has served in key roles including Government Advocate and Special Counsel for the Home Department of Jharkhand.
During the session, Shri Ranjan drew from his extensive experience in legal practice to explore how the state plays a pivotal role in resolving industrial disputes and maintaining long-term industrial harmony. He emphasized that trust and loyalty between the workforce and management are essential to peaceful industrial relations, and that legal frameworks, when enforced with sensitivity, can help reinforce these values.
He discussed various landmark judgments and referenced key sections of the Industrial Disputes Act to provide students with a grounded understanding of the evolving industrial relations landscape. Citing real-world legal cases from Jharkhand and beyond, he illustrated how the state acts not just as a regulator, but also as a mediator and facilitator of industrial peace.
A particularly engaging part of his talk included insights into Jharkhand’s industrial ecosystem, where he highlighted Tata Steel as India’s first Swadeshi company, and described how Jamshedpur, Bokaro and Rourkela form an “equilateral triangle” within the broader industrial belt, marking the strategic industrial importance of the region.
The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, where students posed sharp questions around legal enforcement, labour reforms, and the role of the judiciary in dispute resolution. Shri Ranjan responded with candour and clarity, making legal frameworks accessible to future HR professionals.
Prof. Paramjyot Singh extended a heartfelt vote of thanks to the Advocate General for his valuable time and enlightening address. Following the session, Shri Ranjan met with Prof. Sanjay Patro, Dean (Academics) and Dr. (Fr.) Donald D’Silva, S.J., Dean (Administration & Finance). He appreciated the academic rigour of XLRI and lauded the institute for nurturing industry-ready professionals, conveying his best wishes to the students for their future endeavours.
Through such initiatives, XLRI continues to foster dialogue at the intersection of law, management and public policy, preparing students to engage thoughtfully with the legal dimensions of human resource management and industrial relations.
