CJI DY Chandrachud’s special message from his father: ‘Pune House’, a story of moral integrity
Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Friday shared a profound and inspiring advice given to him by his father, late Chief Justice YV Chandrachud, in his farewell speech. The advice was to keep moral and intellectual freedom paramount, which was symbolised by the small flat he bought for his son in Pune.
On his last day in court, Justice Chandrachud revealed that his father had advised him to keep the flat with him as long as he was part of the judiciary. His father’s advice was “If ever you feel that your morality or intelligence is being compromised, remember that you have your home. Never compromise in your profession.”
Justice Chandrachud’s father had tried to explain to him that as a judge or a lawyer, it is extremely important to keep oneself away from any kind of external pressure or temptation. “He (my father) bought this small flat in Pune. I asked him, why on earth are you buying a flat in Pune? When are we going to go and stay there? He said, I know I’m never going to stay there. He said I’m not sure how long I will be with you. But do one thing, keep this flat until the last day of your tenure as a judge. I said, why is that? He said, if you feel that your moral integrity or your intellectual integrity is ever compromised, I want you to know that you have a roof over your head. Never allow yourself to be compromised either as a lawyer or as a judge because you have no place of your own,” he said.
Transparency in public life: ‘Sunlight is the best disinfectant’
Sharing another glimpse of his life, Justice Chandrachud said, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant. I know in so many ways I’ve exposed my own life to public knowledge. When you expose your own life to public knowledge, you expose yourself to criticism, particularly in today’s age of social media. My shoulders are broad enough to accept all the criticism that we have faced. The bar has responded with tremendous support in all the initiatives which we have taken”.
He also said that he was named ‘Dhananjaya’ specifically by his mother. “My mother told me when I was growing up that I had named you Dhananjay. But the ‘dhan’ in your ‘Dhananjay’ is not material wealth. I want you to acquire knowledge”.
Succession of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna
Justice Sanjiv Khanna will take over as the new Chief Justice on November 11. Justice Khanna made an emotional remark at the farewell of Justice Chandrachud, “When a towering tree in the forest of justice steps back, the birds pause their songs, and the wind moves differently. Other trees shift and adjust to fill the void. But the forest will never be quite the same again”.
Career and Education Journey of Justice D.Y. Chandrachud
Justice Chandrachud was born on November 11, 1959. He graduated in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, Bachelor of Laws from Delhi University and Masters in Laws (LLM) and Doctorate in Juridical Sciences (SJD) from Harvard Law School. He was designated as Senior Advocate by the Bombay High Court in June 1998 and was appointed as a Judge of the Bombay High Court in March 2000. He subsequently became the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court in 2013.
This message of Justice D.Y. Chandrachud has given a new benchmark of ethics, independence, and integrity to the Indian Judiciary. The property his father purchased in Pune became a symbol of his attitude that inspired him to remain morally strong and independent at all times.
