A tribute to Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna: A judge and a mentor

The 51st Chief Justice of India demitted office on May 13. For many, his tenure marked a period of growing trust in the judiciary and increased transparency in the otherwise opaque corridors of justice..As a student of law and an ardent follower of the courts, I share these sentiments. Yet, for me, this moment holds an even deeper significance.As his last law intern at the Delhi High Court, the first intern at the Supreme Court of India and later his law clerk; as someone who was influenced by his unwavering dedication to the law and his steadfast commitment to honesty, integrity and humility; as someone who admired him both as a judge and as a person, I brim with profound emotions and can't quite find the words to express them..I joined Justice Khanna’s office at the Delhi High Court in December 2018, having earlier deferred the offer that summer due to the tax roster of his bench. Within two days of my joining, his then law clerk and a senior intern completed their terms. With little understanding of even the basics of taxation law, I suddenly found myself as the sole research assistant, soon joined by another probationer clerk. Justice Khanna allowed his interns to sit in his chamber itself, and from there began, for me, a period of what our tradition would call “upa-ni-shad” — to sit near a Guru and absorb knowledge.Within a month of my internship - where work often stretched through holidays and long after court hours - Sir was elevated to the Supreme Court. It was a moment of immense pride for all of us, though he maintained calm equanimity, focusing on writing his pending judgments before his appointment warrant was issued by the President. During this time, I witnessed his impeccable integrity. One incident remains etched in my memory. The High Court had a provision for reimbursing some purchase he had made. The bill was pending in the accounts department when his elevation was recommended. Though officials assured him of his entitlement, he firmly declined, saying, “Now that I will no longer be a judge of this court, I must not get it reimbursed.” This was merely the first of countless moments where his transparency and uprightness left a lasting impression..Justice Khanna was exacting with himself - working late into the night even on holidays or through indifferent health - but was unfailingly considerate towards his staff. Not once did I witness a harsh word from him. He had a filial affection for us, and his silent expressions were enough to convey his expectations on work. He preferred oral briefings of next day’s cases before reading the files, a task we relished, for it offered a rare opportunity to present and discuss a case directly with a judge. On several occasions, I stayed in the office till 11 PM, only to be gently asked to leave the files and rest. On one such evening, he even prepared and brought a sandwich when he learned I hadn't eaten. Another time, he drove his personal car to get lunch for us law clerks. These gestures of care, more than any official designation, bound all of us in deep respect, awe and affection for him.Justice Khanna was a true mentor. He encouraged his interns and clerks to strive for wider exposure and never stagnate. During my internship, he allowed me to attend college in the morning and join his office post-lunch. He also gave us access to his personal library. After graduation, he invited me to join as his law clerk and later encouraged to pursue an LL.M. His law clerks were like family; evening snacks from his kitchen were routine, and weekend lunches with his family were frequent. When he shifted to his new residence as a Supreme Court judge, he invited us to join his immediate family for a havan at his home..Some memories remain particularly personal. I often reached his camp office even on holidays. On one such day, during Holi of 2020, while leaving office late evening, I found my car blocked by a guest judge’s vehicle. With the help of the security, I tried to unsuccessfully manoeuvre the car from the back gate. In the meanwhile, he came out and arranged the car to be adjusted. Next day, he gently said: “Nitish, kya kiya kal tune? You have been working here for a long time now, you should feel confident in saying to me. Car hi to thhi, hatwa lete. I feel bad if you hesitate in speaking to me."A Supreme Court judge expressing such warmth to someone yet to even complete law school spoke volumes of his humility and humane spirit..Though a man of few words, his affection and values did not need verbal expression. It was only after a year of working with him that he shared his personal journey with us. This was shared just once and never again; his work and conduct spoke more than his words. He hailed from a family of judges and freedom fighters, but charted his own path. After working under a trial advocate for two years, he started his independent practice. His car, parked at Tis Hazari court, served as his office as well. Even when he finally got a chamber, it lacked a telephone and curtains. He let go of an opportunity to pursue a Masters’ degree in the UK for want of funds, and at one point even gave up using a mobile phone briefly. When he got empanelled as a tax prosecutor, he often got marked with old briefs where only one-third of the authorised fee was pending to be received. Yet, he continued the matter without any complaints and soon mastered taxation law. His journey right till the highest judicial office is inspirational to lawyers..As a person, Justice Khanna embodies the ideal of a sthitaprajña — steadfast, even-minded in joy and sorrow and free from attachment, fear and anger. My tenure with him coincided with several occasions of elation and sorrow—both personal and public. His elevation, a general election, historic highs, moments of grief, the pandemic and the transition to virtual courts, to name a few. Through it all, Sir remained balanced and did not let his work be impacted even once. He revered the responsibility of his office and was aware of the potential consequence of his decisions. His equipoise reflected in him imparting legal knowledge as well. He encouraged free discussion on law. There were often times when we took passionate views on certain matters, but he would encourage us to not to jump to conclusions and spend time with the facts and the applicable law; something he also illustrated while giving dedicated importance to each file before him..On the very first day of our law school, Prof AP Singh told a story of a judge who had to even sacrifice his rightful chiefship for standing with the spirit of justice. We wondered if the league of such judges still exists. While still at the agnostic stage of college days, it was not just my faith in the spirit of law that got reinforced, but also the faith in the values of honesty, integrity and humility; merely by observing Sir. Perhaps this was why, even when law clerks were given a separate room in the new office, I clung to sit near him till the end of my tenure.Though my official tenure with him was completed over four years ago, he remains a constant source of inspiration, to me and to every law clerk who has worked with him. As Chief Justice Khanna embarks on a new chapter of his life, we cherish the legacy he leaves behind as a judge, a mentor and a man of rare character. We offer our deepest gratitude and extend our warmest wishes for the journey ahead..Nitish Rai Parwani is a former law clerk of Chief Justice Khanna.