CJI BR Gavai shared how India’s Constitution turned his life from exclusion to equality. Speaking in Vietnam, he urged the legal community to make diversity and inclusion a living reality, not just an idea.
Vietnam: Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai on Saturday said that his own life stands as living proof of how India’s Constitution can truly transform the lives of the marginalized, helping them rise from being treated as untouchable to being recognized as equals.
Speaking at the 38th LAWASIA Conference in Hanoi on the theme “Role of Lawyers and Courts in Promoting Diversity and Inclusion,” the CJI shared his personal journey and underlined how constitutional safeguards gave him dignity, opportunity, and recognition.
He said,
“For me, born into a low-caste family, it meant that I was not born untouchable. The Constitution recognized my dignity as equal to that of every other citizen, offering not just protection, but the promise of opportunity, freedom, and social recognition.”
Justice Gavai emphasized that the Constitution did not just protect him but gave him a real sense of belonging and purpose. It made inclusion and equality a lived experience rather than a distant dream.
He explained that the ideas of diversity and inclusion were not just fancy or theoretical concepts, but daily needs for millions of people whose identities are still attacked because of rigid social systems.
He said,
“Therefore, for me, the ideas of diversity and inclusion are not abstract utopias we merely aspire to achieve. They are living aspirations for millions of citizens whose identities are attacked daily due to unfair social constructs. At their core, diversity and inclusion represent equality, embody social justice, and aim to transform society into a truly equitable space where every individual can thrive with dignity.”
CJI Gavai recalled how the teachings of Gautam Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, and his father, R.S. Gavai, deeply influenced his values.
He said that Ambedkar taught the world that law must change from being a tool of hierarchy into a means of equality. His father, on the other hand, inspired him with compassion and a deep sense of justice.
He shared that during his time as a lawyer, he had represented a man from a community that had never produced a doctor.
What began as a routine appointment dispute turned into a major moment of hope for that entire community. This, he said, showed how even small legal victories can bring big social changes.
He said,
He reminded lawyers that every case they handle is a chance to strengthen constitutional values.
“As lawyers, our responsibility extends beyond merely securing a favourable outcome in any given case. We must also reflect on whether the arguments that we advance contribute to expanding the values enshrined in the Constitution,”
Talking about his own work as a judge, the Chief Justice mentioned his judgment in State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh, which dealt with sub-classification among Scheduled Castes.
He said judges must always interpret the law in a way that expands social justice and inclusion. A rigid or narrow approach, he warned, could lead to inequality.
He said,
“As judges, our task should be to adopt interpretations that actively expand the values of social justice and inclusion. The judiciary cannot remain oblivious to the historic discrimination faced by marginalized communities. When formalistic interpretations of the law inadvertently perpetuate inequality, they undermine the very purpose of social justice and inclusion,”
He repeated that
“The judiciary cannot remain oblivious to the historic discrimination faced by marginalized communities.”
Justice Gavai referred to several landmark judgments such as Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan, Anuj Garg v. Hotel Association of India, and Babita Puniya v. Union of India, which helped strengthen gender equality in India.
He said that after becoming Chief Justice, one of his main goals was to make sure affirmative action was implemented in the Supreme Court’s administrative recruitment process — not just in words, but in real practice.
The CJI also highlighted the importance of mentoring young lawyers from marginalized backgrounds.
He said inclusion must come with empathy and real support, otherwise it becomes empty and meaningless. He pointed out that it is unfair to expect only marginalized people to bring about change.
He said,
“It is unfair, and ultimately ineffective, to expect marginalized individuals alone to drive change. True inclusion requires active effort, commitment, and accountability from everyone who benefits from existing privileges,”
He further stressed that diversity without true inclusion can turn into tokenism, and it is the duty of both lawyers and judges to make sure that the law becomes a language of access, not one of fear or exclusion.
He beautifully summarized the idea of inclusion by saying,
“Diversity may bring people to the same room, but inclusion ensures that every voice is heard, valued, and allowed to shape the conversation. It demands that institutions go beyond representation to transformation, to question who holds power, who defines norms, and whose stories remain unheard. It is the process of turning the promise of democracy into practice, one case, one reform, and one act of courage at a time.”
Through his speech, CJI BR Gavai reminded everyone that the Constitution is not just a legal document but a living promise — a promise that ensures dignity, equality, and opportunity for every citizen, regardless of caste, class, or gender.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on CJI BR Gavai
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
