Learnt from my father that fighting for a good cause is most rewarding: Justice BV Nagarathna

Supreme Court Justice BV Nagarathna on Sunday fondly recalled the legacy left behind by her father and former Chief Justice of India ES Venkataramiah..Justice Nagarathna said that she learnt from her father to fight against injustice but to remain calm while doing so. "Venkataramiah would raise his voice against injustice in the Court but remain calm while doing justice in a matter," she said.She said that she always remained a student of law under his guidance and he fortified her belief to fight for a good cause.“I deem it my good fortune that I found in my father’s multi-faceted personality all of life’s important lessons. I have always remained a student of law under his guidance. I have observed in him a strength of personality which has only fortified my personal belief that fighting (for) a good cause is most rewarding. His calm and gentle demeanor spoke of his nobleness and piety. Despite his passing 27 years ago, his personality guides us always,” Justice Nagarathna said.The Supreme Court judge struggled to fight her tears as she remembered her father’s vast body of work and her mother Padma’s unrelenting support for him.“Nothing about my father’s life will be complete without a mention of the steadfast support of my mother Smt. Padma. She was quick to appreciate what my father’s true calling was and left no stone unturned in supporting and enabling him realise his dreams. Importantly, she knew what it took to remain a conscientious and hard-working judge and always supported him. His accomplishments are in no small measure hers too,” Justice Nagarathna said.She was speaking at the ‘Justice ES Venkataramiah Centennial Memorial Lecture’ organised by the National Law School of India University, in Bengaluru..Justice Venkatramaiah served as the CJI from June 19, 1989 to December 17, 1989. He was a Supreme Court judge from March 8, 1979. .In her speech, Justice Nagarathna also narrated a fascinating anecdote about two young lawyers, one her father and the other R Venkataraman, meeting on a train journey to Nagpur in 1946 to take part in the All India Lawyers' conference."One would go on to become the President of India, the other, the Chief Justice,” Justice Nagarathna said.“43 years later, in June 1989, two gentlemen from the railway compartment met at the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, one as the president of India, Shri R Venkataraman who was to swear in the other, Justice ES Venkataramaiah as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. When my father mentioned this to President R Venkataraman after the oath ceremony, he too recollected the train journey to Nagpur,” Justice Nagarathna said..The event was also attended by Supreme Court Justice PS Narasimha, former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and judges and senior lawyers of the Karnataka High Court.