The Supreme Court Collegium recommended Senior Advocate V Mohana for elevation as Supreme Court judge, marking a landmark moment for women’s representation in the judiciary, with her distinguished legal career recognised as a significant breakthrough in a profession historically dominated by men across India.
In a landmark development for the Indian judiciary, the Supreme Court Collegium, in meetings held on May 22 and May 27, 2026, recommended the elevation of Senior Advocate V. Mohana as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India. The recommendation marks the culmination of a long and distinguished legal career built on perseverance, discipline, professional integrity, and decades of consistent excellence at the Bar.
If approved by the Central government, V. Mohana’s elevation would significantly strengthen women’s representation in the apex court at a time when the Supreme Court has only one sitting woman judge, Justice BV Nagarathna. Her recommendation is also being viewed as recognition of a career that broke several barriers in a profession historically dominated by men.
A Journey Without Privilege
Unlike many leading names in the legal profession who come from established legal families, V. Mohana entered the field without any family background in law. Her rise to the highest levels of the profession is widely regarded as a testament to personal determination and sustained hard work.
Mohana belonged to the first-ever batch of India’s five-year integrated law programme introduced after higher secondary education. She graduated in 1988 from Coimbatore Law College, now known as Government Law College, Coimbatore.
At the time, the institution functioned from rented premises and operated with limited infrastructure. Facilities were modest, classrooms were few, and the number of women students pursuing legal education remained comparatively low. Despite these challenges, Mohana actively participated not only in academics but also in extracurricular activities such as debates, theatre performances and public speaking competitions.
During her student years, she reportedly balanced her studies with financial responsibilities by taking tuition classes while residing in a working women’s hostel under strict schedules and disciplined routines.
At a time when structured internships and corporate legal training were not common, Mohana chose to learn the practical aspects of law from the ground level. During her final year in law college, she joined the chambers of senior civil lawyer M. Panchapakesan in Coimbatore to gain firsthand courtroom experience.
There, she was trained through traditional methods of legal practice. Her work included maintaining case diaries, taking dictation, preparing pleadings, drafting documents and closely observing court proceedings. She later reflected that repeatedly rewriting plaints and written statements by hand became an invaluable exercise that sharpened her drafting skills and deepened her understanding of legal procedure.
After completing her degree, she continued working under Panchapakesan’s mentorship. The early years of her practice were marked by long working hours, rigorous preparation and the challenge of building confidence in what was then a heavily male-dominated legal environment.
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In 1992, after beginning to independently handle matters in Coimbatore, Mohana made a career-defining decision to shift to New Delhi. The move proved transformative and opened the doors to constitutional and high-stakes litigation at the national level.
She joined the office of Indu Malhotra, who was then practising as an Advocate-on-Record before later becoming a Supreme Court judge. During this period, Mohana worked extensively on drafting Special Leave Petitions, writ petitions and briefing senior advocates in complex constitutional matters.
She subsequently joined the chambers of Senior Advocate C. S. Vaidyanathan, where she further strengthened her legal research, advisory and advocacy skills. During this phase, she worked on several high-profile matters, including cases connected to the Amratlal Prajivandas (SAFEMA) proceedings and issues arising from the Jain Commission inquiry.
Over the years, she also had the opportunity to work alongside some of India’s most prominent legal luminaries, including Kapil Sibal, K. K. Venugopal, P. Chidambaram, Arun Jaitley and T. R. Andhyarujina.
Independent Practice and Breaking Barriers for Women in the Legal Profession
After clearing the prestigious Advocate-on-Record (AOR) examination in 1996, Mohana began independent practice before the Supreme Court while simultaneously balancing family responsibilities and raising a young child.
Her practice steadily expanded across multiple forums, including the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and various tribunals. She handled matters involving constitutional law, criminal law, service disputes, corruption cases, narcotics law and civil litigation.
Mohana also served as a panel counsel for the Government of India and earned recognition for her balanced courtroom approach and meticulous preparation.
Beyond mainstream litigation, she remained actively associated with mediation, legal aid initiatives and pro bono work. She frequently assisted courts as amicus curiae in both civil and criminal cases and worked closely with the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee to provide legal assistance to underprivileged litigants.
In 2015, the Full Court of the Supreme Court designated V. Mohana as a Senior Advocate, making her one of the relatively few women practitioners at the apex court to receive the distinction.
Her designation was considered a significant milestone not only for her individual career but also for women lawyers aspiring to build long-term litigation practices in constitutional courts.
Throughout her professional journey, Mohana consistently advocated for greater participation of women in the legal profession and judicial institutions. At the same time, she repeatedly stressed that advancement in law depends not on privilege or shortcuts but on perseverance and consistency.
One of her recurring beliefs has been that “there is no shortcut to success in the legal profession.” Her colleagues and peers have often described her as a lawyer known for courtroom composure, humility, ethical standards and disciplined advocacy.
Collegium Recommendation Marks Historic Milestone
The recommendation made by the Supreme Court Collegium now places V. Mohana on the threshold of becoming a judge of the country’s highest constitutional court.
The Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, recently recommended the names of four High Court Chief Justices along with Mohana for appointment to the Supreme Court. The recommendation reflects the Collegium’s broader effort to improve regional and gender representation in the apex judiciary.
If the Central government clears her appointment, Mohana would become one of the very few women to serve on the Supreme Court Bench and the first woman advocate elevated directly from the Supreme Court Bar in several years.
Her journey from studying law in a modest institution in Coimbatore, learning drafting through handwritten pleadings, and building a career through years of relentless courtroom practice to receiving a recommendation for the Supreme Court stands as a powerful example for aspiring lawyers across the country.
For many young advocates, especially women entering litigation, her story represents the possibility of rising through merit, discipline and dedication in one of the country’s most demanding professions.
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