“Nimitta Matram (Our lives can be the greatest medium of Change) & Mr. Narasimha has led by Example”
Editor's note: Senior Advocate PS Narasimha is the incoming Judge at Supreme Court of India. He is the only member from the bar to be recommended for elevation to the Supreme Court of India and the 10th ever in history.
My association with Mr. Narasimha traces back to a phone call in 2015 for providing some research on the Italian marines case. I was enrolled as a student at Leiden University and was to start my Masters at Leiden and The Hague. During my days in Leiden I would correspond with him as and when required. Post my return from Leiden, I joined Mr. Narasimha’s Chamber during his tenure as the ASG and that is where I believe, my education not just in litigation at the Supreme Court but also in life commenced.
Mr. Narasimha has not just the tenacity to grasp the law, but how intently and intensely he would study an act and especially a new legislation, taught us juniors how to break the law and study it. He would argue matters not just from a legal angle, but from larger societal perspectives. As a law officer, he would put the interest of justice first and would resolve all the cases he could and with the utmost fairness. While assisting him, I also observed how an eagle-eyed view is taken while he rendered opinions to various departments on various litigations and policy related issues.
Mr. Narasimha would quite often undertake comparative law studies on various issues and would academically examine legal issues before arguing them in Court. He understood his position not just as a Senior Advocate, but also as a law officer and justified every brief he argued. Through him, we juniors learnt how to study and understand the cross-section assessment of legal provisions and how to holistically interpret them. He is among the few people I have met in my life who could effortlessly handle various diverse legal subjects across the spectrum at a given point of time.
His in-depth understanding of indic perspectives and sciences has led to a transformative learning in my life. To have the chance to assist him on the Ram Janmabhoomi case, the Article 35A case and have him lead on me on the Article 370 reference has been my greatest honour.
However, if there one thing I take away from his chamber and his guidance is the lessons of life and humanity. I remember during my days of assisting him, I had a family emergency to address. Mr Narasimha while giving me the time to address it also told me “Remember son family is everything, please take your time and address it, work shall happen”.
Mr. Narasimha in his own ways guided as not just to litigate with grace but also look at life gracefully. He is among the most humane persons I have worked with and I am honoured to be his junior. He knows when a junior is ready and does ensure we get the confidence to start our practise independently post our time in his chambers.
Our lives can be the greatest medium of change (Nimitta-Matram) and Mr. Narasimha has led by example.
Mr. Narasimha is the advocate we juniors aspire to be, but is a human we aspire to be. In his elevation the country not just gains a great judge, but gains a humane judge who carries his experience of litigation, indic knowledge and perspectives and empathy and humanity to the bench. I am blessed to be mentored by him and I am honoured to be a part of his chamber.
[Rahul G. Tanwani has been a junior to Mr. Narasimha and is now an independent Counsel practising in Supreme Court and various other High Courts around the Country.]