Justice Surya Kant took oath as the 53rd Chief Justice of India by President Droupadi Murmu on Monday morning. The oath was attended by Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and several members of his cabinet to mark the national significance of the judicial transition.
The elevation to India's highest judicial office is being celebrated as a remarkable journey that took him from a village in Haryana to the helm of the country's judiciary.
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A jurist behind landmark rulings
During his tenure in the Supreme Court, Justice Kant played a vital role in many historic constitutional decisions. He made invaluable contributions to judgment on the abrogation of Article 370, on reforming the electoral rolls of Bihar, and on investigations regarding the Pegasus spyware scandal. These decisions have deeply affected Indian democracy and the judiciary.
Who is Justice Surya Kant?
Justice Kant was born on February 10, 1962, in Petwar village of Hisar, Haryana. Hard work, academic discipline, and a steady climb through the legal system are all evident in his journey from a middle-class home to the nation's top judicial chair. He completed his early education in Hisar, graduated in 1981 and earned his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University in 1984, later securing a Master of Laws degree, with first-class honours from Kurukshetra University.
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He began his legal practice at the Hisar district court in 1984 before moving to the Punjab and Haryana High Court a year later. His reputation grew quickly, and in 2000, at just 38, he became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana. He was designated a Senior Advocate in 2001.
