The glorious history of the Indian judiciary is reflected in the distinguished list of Chief Justices of India. From H.J. Kania to the current Chief Justice, Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, each has upheld the Constitution and the rule of law. The CJI is a pivotal figure in steering the nation’s judicial system. Gavai, the 52nd CJI, was born on 24 November 1960 at Amaravati in Vidarbha. He joined the Bar on 16 March 1985. Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, he was Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. Initially, Gavai was a judge of the Bombay high court. As CJI, he will enjoy a six-month tenure.
Incidentally, Gavai is the ninth jurist from Bombay high court to occupy the topmost judicial post. This illustrious tradition was incepted by Justice Sir Harilal Jekisundas Kania, who was born on 3 November 1890 in Surat, then part of the Bombay province. His term began from 26 January 1950, the day the Constitution was adopted. He served as CJI till 6 November 1951 but died that day while holding the office. Kania was a student of the Government Law College, Mumbai. He became a Judge of the high court, Bombay in 1933, was its acting Chief Justice in 1944 and became a judge of the Federal Court on 20 June 1946.
The second CJI from Maharashtra was Pralhad Balacharya Gajendragadkar, a renowed Sanskrit scholar and an outstanding legal luminary. Gajendragadkar was born on 16 March 1901. Educated in Satara, Karnatak College and Deccan College, he was recipient of many fellowships and prizes for his vast knowledge of Sanskrit. He was associated with leading academic institutions across India. He joined the legal profession in Mumbai in 1926 and was appointed a judge of the Bombay high court in 1945. He became a judge of the Supreme Court in 1957. He tokok over as CJI on 1 February 1964. Gajendragadkar etired on 15 March 1966.
The third in this galaxy was Mohammad Hidayatullah was born on 17 December 1905 at Betul. He holds the unique distinction for serving as Acting President of India. His academic achievements are amazing. A Barrister-at-Law, he began legal practice in 1930. From the beginning, his career path remained ascending. His other unique feat is that he was Chief Justice of the then Nagpur high court in 1954 and of the Madhya Pradesh high court from 1956. After states were reorganised, he started serving in Mumbai. Hidayatullah was appointed in the Supreme Court on 1 December 1958. Appointed as CJI on 25 February 1968, he retired on 16 December 1970. He was elected the Vice President of India from 31 August 1979 to 30 August 1984. For thirty-five days during his tenure as CJI, he was also the Acting President of India because incumbent President Zakir Husain had died and the Vice President, V. V. Giri, had resigned in order to contest a forthcoming election for the Presidency.
The longest serving CJI, Yashwant Vishnu Chandrachud was born in Poona on 12 July 1920. After early education in Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya, he graduated in 1940 from the Elphinstone College, Mumbai and passed the LL.B. examination of the University of Bombay in 1942 by standing first in first class by winning many scholarships and awards. He enrolled as an advocate in the high court in Mumbai. Chandrachud was appointed a judge of the high court on 19 March 1961. After his appointment in the Supreme Court on 28 August 1972, he took over as CJI on 22 February 1978 and retired on 11 July 1985. He served for 2696 days in that capacity. His record is unbroken.
The fifth CJI from Maharashtra was Justice Sam Piroj Bharucha, who was born on 6 May, 1937. He enrolled as an advocate of the Bombay high court on 28 July 1960. He practised mainly on the Original Side. Bharucha was appointed as an additional judge at the high court on 19 September 1977. He assumed charge as permanent Judge in 1978. He served as Chief Justice, Karnataka high court from 1 November 1991 and was promoted to the Supreme Court on 1 July 1992. Bharucha took over as CJI on 1 November 2001 and relinquished charge on 6 May 2002. Bharucha is the first CJI from the Parsi community.
Born on 24 April 1956 at Nagpur, Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde, the sixth in this list, graduated from Nagpur University. He practised at the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court with appearances at Mumbai and before the Supreme Court of India for over 20 years. He was designated as Senior Advocate in 1998. Justice Bobde was selected to serve on the Bombay high court on 29 March 2000 as Additional Judge. He was sworn in as Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court on 16 October, 2012. Justice Bobde took over as a Judge of the Supreme Court on 12 April 2013 and sworn in as CJI on 18 November 2019 to retire on 23 April 2021 as the 47th CJI and sixth from Maharashtra.
The seventh CJI from Maharashtra, Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, was born on 9 November 1957. He enrolled as an advocate in June 1983. He practised in the high court in Mumbai till December 1985. He shifted his practice to Delhi in January 1986.He was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court on 13 August 2014 and assumed office as CJI on 27 August 2022. After a short stint of 74 days, he retired on 8 November 2022 as the 49th CJI.
Justice Dhananjay Chandrachud studied law at Delhi University and later graduated from Harvard. Upon returning to India, he practised law at the Supreme Court and the Bombay high court. He was appointed an an additional solicitor-general in 1988, a role he held until his appointment as a Judge at the Bombay high court on 29 March 2000. Subsequently, he served as Chief Justice of the Allahabad high court from 31 October 2013 until his appointment to the Supreme Court on 13 May 2016. He was sworn in as the 50th CJI on 9 November 2022. He retired on 10 November 2024.
CJI Bhushan Gavai, the ninth to occupy this exalted post from Maharashtra, belongs to the famous Gavai family. His father, Ramkrishan Suryabhan Gavai, was chairman of the Maharashtra legislative council and was elected to the Lok Sabha. His mother Kamala, too, was a social activist of repute. While R.S.Gavai served as a governor in some states, his name is associated with the leadership of one faction of the Republican Party of India. CJI Gavai, the first Buddhist to hold that post, is known for his uprightness. He will take forward the scintillating legacy of Indian judiciary.
A Column By
Dilip Chaware – Senior Editor
A media professional for 43 years, with extensive experience of writing on
a variety of subjects; he is also a documentary producer and book author.
