Justice B R Gavai’s inspiring rise from a humble Amravati home to India’s top judicial post reflects the power of dreams and the Constitution. His mother proudly calls him a true muqaddar ka sikandar.
At her home in Congress Nagar, Amravati, Kamaltai sits surrounded by photos of Dr. B R Ambedkar, remembering the long journey her son has made.
She looks proudly at the old file she’s kept safe for years. It’s filled with handwritten notes, newspaper cuttings, and old photos of her son.
That boy, Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai, is now set to become the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI) on May 14.
Her face lights up with pride as she says,
“Mere bachhe toh muqaddar ka sikandar banna hi chahiye na”
(My child ought to be a conqueror of his destiny, no?).
At 84, Kamaltai, a former school teacher, is preparing to travel to Delhi to witness this historic moment.
When asked whether she would attend the oath-taking ceremony, she smiles and replies in Marathi,
“Mee gelich pahije na”
(I should certainly be going, shouldn’t I ?)
This day marks a special moment not just for Kamaltai, but also for Indian judicial history.
Justice Bhushan Gavai will become only the second person from the Dalit community to rise to the top post of the Indian judiciary.
The first was former Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan in 2007, who served for three years.
Since the Supreme Court was founded in 1950, there have only been seven judges from the Scheduled Castes (SC) or Scheduled Tribes (ST).
Justice Gavai’s rise shows how much India has changed — and how much work still remains. His term as CJI will be for six months, ending on November 23.
Justice Gavai has openly talked about how affirmative action and the Constitution played a big role in his life.
In a speech he gave in April 2024, he said,
“It is solely due to Dr B R Ambedkar’s efforts that someone like me, who studied in a semi-slum area at a municipal school, could attain this position.”
At the end of that speech, he said “Jai Bhim” with full emotion. The audience gave him a standing ovation.
Justice Gavai is also known for his decisions in sensitive and politically important cases. He often stands up for people’s rights when the state acts unfairly.
In several important cases, such as the ones involving Newsclick founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia a bench led by Justice Gavai ruled in favour of protecting people from arbitrary arrest under tough laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
In another major ruling in November 2024, a bench led by Justice Gavai said that demolishing people’s homes or properties without following the proper legal process is against the rule of law.
This was a big step in protecting citizens’ rights from state abuse.
Justice Gavai was also part of a historic seven-judge Constitution bench that supported the sub-classification within the Scheduled Caste quota.
This means that within the SC category, states can give separate benefits to different groups depending on their level of backwardness.
In his personal opinion, Justice Gavai said that those who oppose this sub-division within SCs are acting just like “the discrimination higher castes have done” to SCs.
He has been involved in several other constitutional matters too. In February 2024, he was on the bench that struck down the controversial Electoral Bonds Scheme — a secretive way of political funding.
The court held that it was not transparent and violated the people’s right to know.
Then in December 2023, he was part of another Constitution bench that upheld the Union Government’s move to abrogate Article 370, which earlier gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Justice Gavai’s journey is not only inspiring but also a strong reminder of how the Constitution, when followed with commitment, can uplift lives from the margins of society.
Also Read: Supreme Court Feels Like the Most ‘Undisciplined’ Court: SC Justice B.R. Gavai
His legal career, marked by fairness, deep understanding of constitutional rights, and a sense of justice for all, reflects the democratic values that Dr. Ambedkar always stood for.
From a small municipal school in a semi-slum to the highest seat in India’s judiciary, his mother’s faith and his own hard work have led to this proud moment — and Kamaltai’s heart holds all of it together in a single sentence: “Mere bachhe toh muqaddar ka sikandar banna hi chahiye na.”
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