Ahmedabad, Aug. 10 -- Every year on August 10, the world observes Prisoners' Justice Day, a day that serves as a reminder that people in prison retain their dignity and human rights. It also echoes the principles of the United Nations Nelson Mandela Rules, the global standards for the treatment of prisoners, which recognise rehabilitation, education, vocational training, and meaningful cultural activity as essential parts of a humane prison system.

While conversations around prison reform often focus on infrastructure, overcrowding, or legal reform, an equally important question remains. What opportunities exist inside prisons for genuine transformation?

It was this question that led Shreya Kedia, a final-year student at the National In...