High Court of Bombay

PROFILE:

• Born on September 9, 1953 at Vijapur, Gujarat, Son of a District and amp; Sessions Judge. Did his schooling at Baroda, Surat and Amreli. Pursued his higher education at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda from where obtained the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with First Class and First rank with Aurobindo Prize.

• In 1976, secured the Gold Medal at the LL.B. (Special) Examination for securing first rank with first class marks.

• Started his practice in the Gujarat High Court in 1976. Made rapid strides in Constitutional, Civil and Corporate Law matters. Was Standing Counsel for many Boards and Corporations.

• Even during busy practice, did not ignore academic pursuits. After obtaining LL.M. Degree from Gujarat University, was a part-time Lecturer in a Law College.

• Was elevated as Judge on the Bench of the High Court of Gujarat on September 18, 1995.

• Has delivered a number of lectures and participated in Law Conferences and Seminars including international conferences (list attached).

• Was a visiting faculty at the National Judicial Academy at Bhopal and also at the Gujarat State Judicial Academy at Ahmedabad.

• Elevated as Chief Justice of the High Court at Calcutta on December 24, 2009.

• Assumed the office of Chief Justice of Bombay High Court on June 26, 2010.

LECTURES - CONFERENCES - PUBLISHED ARTICLES

1982 Attended the Conference organized by the International Bar Association, New Delhi.

1984 Attended the Conference organized by the International Bar Association at Bombay.

1980-87 Part-time Lecturer in Administrative Law at the M. N. Nanavati Law College, Ahmedabad.

1992 Delivered a lecture at the Symposium on Consumer Protection.

January, 1997 Delivered presidential address at the Guest Lecture on Environmental Systems in a Global Market Place delivered by Mr. J.William Futrell, President Environmental Law Institute (ELI) Washington DC organized by the United States Information Service and amp; CERC at Ahmedabad. (Jan 29, 1997).

August, 1997 Chaired the Session on Civil Liberties at the symposium organized by United States Information Service at Bombay. (August, 1997).

Delivered Inaugural Address at the workshop on Judicial Activism organized by the Association of Law College Teachers in Gujarat at Valsad (Gujarat).

1998 Delivered Inaugural address at the Workshop for Environmental Auditors organized by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board. One of the Speakers at the Panel Discussion on Delay in Civil Litigations - Problems and Solutions organized by the Ahmedabad City Courts Bar Association and Gujarat Law Society.

2000 Delivered a speech on Gender and Law organized by the British Council and amp; National Judicial Academy at Ahmedabad.

March, 2000 Conducted deliberations on the 1999 Amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure organized by Legal Eagle in March, 2000.

2001 Nominated by the Hon'ble Chief Justice of the High Court of Gujarat for studying Case Management and Mediation in USA in Mar, 2001.

Sept, 2001 Presented an article on Court Management for Docket Control at the Indo-American Symposium on Judicial Reforms organized by the High Court of Gujarat in September, 2001 and attended, inter alia, by two Justices of American Supreme Court.

Delivered Presidential Address at the Regional Conference on Strategies for Empowerment of Women organized by the National Council for Women at Ahmedabad.

2002 Chaired the Session on Judicial Reforms for Prison Administration organized by the Director General of Prisons, Gujarat State at Ahmedabad.

July, 2002 Delivered a lecture on Section 89 CPC and Mediation at the inauguration of Ahmedabad Mediation Centre by the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India on 27th July 2002.

2003 Presented a paper on Study of American Legal System for Procedural Reforms in Civil Courts in India at the conference on ADR, Conciliation, Mediation and Case Management organized by the Law Commission of India on May 3-4, 2003.

Conducted group discussions at Ahmedabad on the recommendations of Justice Malimath Committee for Criminal Justice Reforms .

2004 Delivered Presidential Address at the Workshop on Brain Fingerprinting An Important Tool in the Investigation of Crimes organized by the Gujarat State Directorate of Forensic Science and Chief Forensic Scientist, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

Delivered valedictory address at the seminar on Role of Trade Unions in Changed Scenario for Achieving Excellence and Happiness organized by Baroda Management Association.

2005 Attended the international conference on International Commercial Arbitration at New Delhi in November.

Delivered key note address at the Seminar on Intellectual Property Rights the New Patent Law organized by the Sardar Patel University at Vallabh Vidyanagar.

2006 Attended the Workshop on Intellectual Property Rights organized by National Judicial Academy at Bhopal in February.

Attended the Asia-South Pacific Regional Conference on Intellectual Property Rights organized by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), Government of India, Indian Law Institute and Japan Patent Office in June.

2007 Made a presentation at the Regional conferences organized by the National Judicial Academy at Ahmedabad and at Chennai on ADR and other topics.

Attended the International Conference on Commercial Arbitration at New Delhi in November and also Judicial Colloquium on Arbitration Harmony Amidst Disharmony in November 2007.

2008 Made a presentation on Special IPR Courts for Quick Redressal of IPR Disputes at the Annual Summit on Intellectual Property Rights organized by Ahmedabad Management Association in February.

Made a presentation on ADR in India: Evolution and Evaluation at the Regional Meet Conference of Executive Chairpersons, State Legal Services Authorities and Judges in-charge of Mediation Centres in the High Courts in Western India held at Indore (Madhya Pradesh) in April and the Workshop for training the trainers in mediation.

Delivered a speech on the Role of Legal Services Authorities in the matter of 'Crime Against Women' and 'Implementation of the Poverty Alleviation Programmes of the Government' at the Meet of the Executive Chairpersons and Member Secretaries of State Legal Services Authorities organized by Delhi Legal Services Authority at New Delhi in May.

December 2009 Appointed Chief Justice, Calcutta High Court.

26 June 2010 Appointed Chief Justice, Bombay High Court.