Labour leader Senior Advocate K Subba Rao passes away

He was a committed advocate of workers' rights, and throughout his life, fought to protect the rights and lives of millions of workers both inside and outside the court.

K Subbarao, Senior Counsel

Senior Advocate K Subba Rao, a prominent labor rights lawyer, passed away at his residence in Bengaluru on Friday morning.

He is survived by his wife Sushila and daughter Maya. Subba Rao was born on June 15, 1931, in Manila village of Puttur taluk of Dakshina Kannada district.

He handled cases in the labor and service sectors. He was a committed advocate of workers' rights, and fought for the rights and lives of millions of workers both inside and outside the court. He actively opposed the Emergency in 1975 and filed habeas corpus petitions in court when information about arrested persons was not available.

In 1964, he worked as a legal advisor to the Karnataka Electricity Board Workers' Union, and later represented workers in large public enterprises like HMT, BEL and HAL.

He also served as the President of the Indian Coffee Workers Co-operative Union, Mysore Commercial Employees Union, Binny Mill Workers Union, and West Coast Paper Mills Association.

Subba Rao's contributions to the legal profession were widely recognized, and he represented India at the International Law Conference held in New York in 1986.

Many judges, including retired Supreme Court Justice V Gopal Gowda, and a large number of lawyers were influenced by his work.

Subba Rao's mortal remains were cremated at the Hebbal crematorium on Friday evening.