K. Parasaran’s 75-year journey at the Bar is nothing short of inspiring. Justice M.M. Sundresh celebrates a life lived for others, where caste and creed didn’t matter, and law was guided by compassion, integrity, and Dharma.
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NEW DELHI: At a ceremony honouring the extraordinary milestone of Senior Advocate K. Parasaran, Supreme Court Justices M.M. Sundresh, K.V. Viswanathan, and R. Mahadevan spoke not just of his brilliance in law, but of the gentleness and humility that have defined his journey. They described Parasaran as a rare blend of intellect and virtue, a man who has lived by Dharma, not just studied it.
“Few figures in Indian legal history command as much reverence as Senior Advocate K. Parasaran — a man whose career spans 75 years at the Bar and 50 years as a Senior Advocate.”
Justice M.M. Sundresh, in a deeply philosophical address, said that K. Parasaran’s greatness lies not merely in his mastery of law but in his moral practice of Dharma, the inner order that gives meaning to justice itself.
“He is a man who does not live for himself but lives for others,” Justice Sundresh said.
“There is no discrimination in his chambers — no caste, no creed. People from across communities are treated the same.”
He recounted how the late Justice Nagappan once told him that Parasaran treated every junior like his own child, creating a family built on virtue rather than hierarchy.
Justice Sundresh observed that while knowledge can be acquired, character must be cultivated through discipline and humility.
“Knowledge can be acquired, but character can only be formed. Law is nothing but an instrument to give effect to Dharma.”
To illustrate this, he invoked Thiruvalluvar’s verse from the Thirukkural (Couplet 35):
“அழுக்காறு அவாவெகுளி இன்னாச்சொல் நான்கும்இழுக்கா இயன்றது அறம்.”
“Virtue consists in refraining from envy, greed, anger and hurtful speech.”
He explained that Thiruvalluvar’s aram (virtue) is not ritual observance but mastery over destructive impulses — jealousy, desire, wrath, and cruelty in words.
“To live without succumbing to them is to live by Dharma,”
he said.
Justice Sundresh went on to describe Parasaran as the only living embodiment of an “Andhanar” — a term from classical Tamil thought denoting one who upholds righteousness through restraint, humility, compassion, and service.
“Mr. Parasaran is religious, but not as we think of religion. His religion is based on spirituality.”
He concluded simply yet powerfully:
“Good people should be appreciated; the undeserving should not be appreciated.”
Justice K.V. Viswanathan, who also graced the occasion, shared how his own journey in law began with the blessings of K. Parasaran in 1988, when he came to Chennai from Coimbatore to enroll as an advocate.
“After observing him argue at the Madras High Court, I went to seek his blessings. My career began with those blessings,”
he recalled.
Describing Parasaran’s work ethic as divine, Justice Viswanathan said:
“His journey over the last 75 years is deeply intertwined with the evolution of the Constitution and the moral concept of Dharma. He prepares for cases with devotion — he does not let a single point slip.”
He fondly remembered that juniors regarded Parasaran as their Acharya (teacher).
“He would treat juniors like students, and they regarded him as their Acharya. He would even open his briefs only at auspicious times.”
In a lighter moment, Justice Viswanathan shared a personal anecdote involving his marriage — one that drew laughter from the audience.
“When my marriage was fixed, my father-in-law wanted to make inquiries about me. Mr. Parasaran gave me a good conduct certificate — and that’s how the wedding happened!”
On his way to the event, his wife humorously reminded him of that episode.
“She told me, ‘Say what you want in your speech, but after the event, I’m going to ask him what made him give you that good conduct certificate!’”
Delivering the welcome address, Justice R. Mahadevan described the felicitation as a privilege and a lesson in humility.
“To felicitate a legal luminary of such stature — the senior-most member of the Bar, a nonagenarian elder even to independent India — is a privilege for all of us.”
Justice Mahadevan praised Parasaran’s unwavering devotion to work, clarity of thought, and steadfast advocacy for judicial independence.
“Anyone who knew him would know his unflinching allegiance to righteousness and rectitude. He always emphasised duties over rights and the importance of respect for women.”
He said that Parasaran’s true legacy lies not in his courtroom victories, but in the values he lived by.
“Cases are statistics of victory or loss, but the values he propagated stretch far beyond the courtroom. Great men unify, not divide. The best way to honour him is to uphold the dignity, authority, and majesty of the judiciary and the law.”