Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath hailed former Attorney General K Parasaran for his unparalleled dedication and integrity in law. Parasaran’s 75-year legal journey reflects a life devoted to duty, justice, and service to society.
Chennai: Former Attorney General and Senior Advocate K Parasaran was celebrated for his exceptional contribution to India’s legal system, with Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath praising him as a figure whose life has shaped modern India’s legal destiny.
Justice Nath said,
“Former Attorney General and Senior Advocate K Parasaran played a stellar role in shaping modern India’s legal destiny through his unparalleled dedication to legal profession and unimpeachable integrity.”
Justice Nath highlighted that Parasaran began his legal career at a time when India was still young and finding its constitutional identity.
He said,
“For 75 years, he (Parasaran) has walked alongside the republic, shaping its legal destiny. From the very beginning of his career at the Madras Bar, he was known for two qualities that would come to define his life’s work. One, unparalleled preparation and second, unimpeachable integrity.”
The remarks came during an event in Chennai organized by the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, where Justice Nath joined others in celebrating Parasaran’s platinum jubilee as a lawyer and golden jubilee as a Senior Advocate.
Justice Nath compared Parasaran’s life to a modern Ramayana, emphasizing that his career reflects the age-old lesson that duty shapes destiny.
He said,
“According to me, the Ramayan is far more profound. It teaches us that the performance of one’s individual duty is the surest road to the collective good, to the moral salvation of the society itself. Every character in that epic is defined not by destiny, but by duty… Perhaps, even in the so–called villain, Ravan, we see an unwavering sense of duty to his kingdom, sister and to his pride. The epic is not a tale of conflict alone; it is a timeless lesson in how duty shapes destiny.”
Justice Nath went on to assert that Senior Advocate Parasaran embodies this very principle of devotion to duty. He said,
“In our time, Sri Parasaran ji’s life and career stand as a living embodiment of that very idea. His journey in the legal profession is nothing short of a modern Ramayan, of Dharma, of unwavering devotion to the duties of his calling, the duties to the court, to the client, and above all, the truth.”
Drawing parallels with Bhishma from the Mahabharata, Justice Nath remarked,
“Like Bhishma, he (Parasaran) has lived a life guided by Dharma, wisdom and selfless service. He never needed to raise his voice; the strength of his reason, compelled the court to listen. He never sought personal glory. His humility illuminated the courtroom he entered. He never treated the law as a mere profession. For him, it was a sacred calling, a pursuit of justice and service to society.”
Justice Nath further described Parasaran’s dedication and humility in practice, saying,
“Juniors recounted that he treated them not as assistants but as fellow students of law, patiently explaining every point as though he was sharing a treasure. That humility is what sets him apart.”
He urged all to draw inspiration from Parasaran’s devotion to duty and quoted the Bhagavad Gita to emphasize the importance of performing one’s duties.
He said,
“The same holds true for the legal system. The justice system functions as a living organism. Lawyers, judges and litigants are all its vital organs, each performing a sacred duty towards the ultimate end of justice. Sri Parasaran ji’s life is a living testament to this philosophy. For him, advocacy was not a profession, but a Dharm; a solemn act of service to the truth.”
Justice Nath also acknowledged Parasaran’s passion during the Ayodhya case, while clarifying he was not commenting on the verdict itself.
He said,
“If one cannot feel the weight of a case in one’s heart, it is unlikely that one will truly rejoice when the court delivers a favourable judgment. I do not intend to comment on the judgment itself, but to understand and appreciate the legacy of Sri Parasaran ji, one must recall what he stood for in that defining moment. It is advised that a lawyer must not get attached to his brief. I respectfully disagree. If you are not passionate about the cause you espouse, how can you persuade an impartial jury that there is merit in it? The law is not black and white. It breathes in the grey, what we call the penumbra – where the true duty of the judiciary begins to interpret, illuminate and do justice. To work through that grey, the advocate himself must first believe in his cause. The first forum of persuasion is the lawyer’s own conscience.”
He added,
“If you are not passionate about the cause you espouse, how can you persuade an impartial jury that there is merit in it? The law is not black and white, it breathes in the grey.”
Responding to the praise, Senior Advocate K Parasaran spoke about the importance of performing one’s duty and following one’s conscience.
He said,
“If all of us perform our duties well, no one’s rights would be affected. But all problem arises when we fail in our duties. Do your duty well; there, all the honour lies.”
He reiterated the importance of maintaining the dignity of courts and respecting judicial hierarchy. He said,
“We must maintain the highest dignity of the court. It is the institution of god or the temple of divinity. When you enter the court hall, bear in mind, you are entering the abode of the god of divinity … When you are addressing a court, you must only see a judge and nothing else. And when you argue before a court, how learned a lawyer you must be, you please argue with a presumption that the one sitting there (the judge) knows more than what you know … Most important thing … never be aggressive when answering a judge.”
He emphasized,
“Argue with a presumption that the one sitting there (the judge) knows more than what you know. Never be aggressive when answering a judge.”
Parasaran also spoke about the rising fees of senior advocates and urged lawyers to charge only what is necessary.
He reflected on a former Chief Justice’s observation that some senior lawyers now charge “a king’s ransom” while highlighting the legitimate expenses lawyers face, including juniors, books, and libraries.
Other dignitaries at the event included Madras High Court Chief Justice MM Shrivastava and Justices MS Ramesh and R Suresh Kumar. Chief Justice Shrivastava praised Parasaran for showing that greatness in law is not only about flamboyant practice but also about being a good human being.
Justice Ramesh described Parasaran as a moral compass, demonstrating that true greatness comes from humility, character, and commitment to justice. Justice Kumar recalled,
“Instead of being a mere argument of a counsel, it would be a complete demonstration of his legal acumen and brilliance.”
Senior Advocate and Bar Council of India Vice-Chairman S Prabakaran described Parasaran as not only a jurist but also a father figure in the legal profession. Additional Solicitor General AR L Sundaresan highlighted his contributions to shaping India’s laws.
Advocate General PS Raman, reflecting on Parasaran’s work in the Ayodhya case, said,
“That fire in the belly is what every one of us here should strive for, and if we are able to get just a small spark of that fire, we shall all feel greatly blessed.”
Supreme Court judges Justices MM Sundresh, R Mahadevan, PS Narasimha, KV Viswanathan, and Attorney General for India R Venkataramani also paid tribute to Parasaran at the event, acknowledging his unparalleled contribution to Indian law and justice.
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