At a felicitation event in Amravati, CJI Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai shared that he wanted to be an architect, not a lawyer. He said his father, Dadasaheb, couldn’t pursue law due to his arrest during the freedom movement.
During a felicitation event in Amravati city, Maharashtra, Chief Justice of India Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai said that he wanted to become an architect, but his father wished for him to become a lawyer.
He explained,
“I never wanted to become a lawyer. I always wanted to become an architect. My father, Dadasaheb, wanted to become a lawyer but was unable to, as at the time he was arrested for being part of the freedom movement,”
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The 52nd CJI, who took office last month, recounted how his father was studying for an LLB during the Satyagraha movement, which he ultimately joined. After his release from prison, he remained active in politics for the rest of his life.
Gavai remarked,
“I pursued law as my father wanted his long-cherished dream to be fulfilled in me,”
Reflecting on the opportunity he received in 2012 to become a judge, he said,
“My father used to say, ‘If you practice law in the Supreme Court, you will earn a lot of money, but if you become a judge, you can contribute towards Dr BR Ambedkar’s dream of social equality.’ I am happy to have listened to his wish and accepted the work of imparting knowledge.”
The event took place in the grand hall of Pote College, organized by the Amravati Lawyers’ Association.
Justice Nitin Sambre of the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court presented the honor to Gavai, joined by former CJI N V Ramana, Justice Praveen Patil, and Justice Anil Kilor.
Recalling his early days in the judiciary, Gavai stated,
“I never thought of becoming a judge. When I started practicing in Nagpur, VR Manohar, the then advocate general, encouraged me to pursue an LLB. I resigned after a year as a public prosecutor. In 2000, the then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh advised me to take the position again. Ex-CJI Bobde, who was like an elder brother to me, mentioned that becoming a government lawyer would be a shortcut to becoming a High Court judge. I took his advice. At that time, the age limit for a judge was 40, but I was only 39. After waiting for about two years, I became a judge.”
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He emphasized that the Constitution of India is supreme and that all three branches of democracy operate under it.
Referring to a Supreme Court judgment on the ‘Basic Structure’ doctrine, he stated that Parliament can amend the Constitution as long as it does not alter its fundamental structure.
He expressed his belief that while some assert Parliament’s supremacy, he sees the Constitution as paramount.
He noted,
“There is always a discussion as to which wing of democracy the executive, legislature, or judiciaryis supreme,”
He affirmed.
“While many say and believe that Parliament is supreme, according to me, it is the Constitution of India that is supreme. All three wings of democracy work under the Constitution,”
Gavai further remarked that a judge’s independence is not solely defined by issuing orders against the government.
He stated,
“A judge should always remember that we have a duty, and we are custodians of the rights of citizens and constitutional values and principles. We don’t just have power, but a duty is cast upon us,”
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He urged judges to remain unaffected by public opinion in their judgments,
“We have to think independently. What people will say cannot become a part of our decision-making process.”
The CJI highlighted that he allows his judgments and work to speak for themselves, consistently standing by the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.
He referenced a recent verdict concerning the forests of the Vidharba region, stating that his decision favored the indigenous people who had lived and farmed there for generations, as it pertained to their right to life and security.
The association also honored his mother, Dr. Kamal Gavai, and his wife, Dr. Tejaswini.
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