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Exactly a month ahead of his retirement, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud has said his mind is heavily preoccupied with fears and anxieties about the future and the past and that he is pondering over questions such as: Did I achieve everything I set out to do? How will history judge my tenure? Could I have done things differently? What legacy will I leave for future generations of judges and legal professionals?
He was speaking at the 3rd convocation ceremony of Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law of Bhutan Tuesday evening. Her Royal Highness, Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck, President of JSW School of Law, Lyonpo Chogyal Dago Rigdzin, Chief Justice of Bhutan and other dignitaries were present.
"A LITTLE VULNERABLE"
“Pardon me for being a little vulnerable. I will be demitting office as the Chief Justice of India in November this year, after having served my country for two years. As my tenure is coming to an end, my mind has been heavily preoccupied with fears and anxieties about the future and the past. I find myself pondering over questions such as: Did I achieve everything I set out to do? How will history judge my tenure? Could I have done things differently? What legacy will I leave for future generations of judges and legal professionals?”, said the Chief Justice
He added: “The answers to most of these questions lie beyond my control and perhaps, I will never find answers to some of these questions. However, I do know that, over the last two years, I have woken up every morning with a commitment to give the job my fullest and gone to bed with the satisfaction that I served my country with utmost dedication. It is in this, that I seek solace. Once you have this sense of faith in your intentions and abilities, it is easier to not get obsessed with the outcomes. You begin to value the process and the journey towards these outcomes.”
REVOLUTIONISED WAY JUDICIARY FUNCTIONED
Chief Justice Chandrachud has been on a mission mode 24 x 7. In his 23 months of Chief Justiceship so far already revolutionised the way Indian judicial system functions bringing citizens closer to the judiciary. Largely harnessing the information technology.
It has been an action packed tenure with him ringing in drastic changes judicially, institutionally, administratively, infrastructure wise (SC,HC and subordinate courts) and also in terms of delivering several landmark judgments primarily upholding values of personal liberty, women’s rights , human rights, gender and social equality, rights of the disabled and protection of environment.
“As I share these words with you, I'm reminded of my own journey. Like many of you, I also grew up as a child, with an unrelenting passion to make a difference in the world around me. Driven by this insatiable zeal, I often pushed myself to extremes, habitually working long hours and carrying a heavy burden, as if the world's problems rested solely on my shoulders. However, over the years, I have come to realize that our ability to contribute to our community is deeply rooted in our self-perception and capacity for self-care.”, said Justice Chandrachud
He added: “It is crucial to prioritize our well-being and find joy in the process. We often put our heart and soul into a project but fail to enjoy the journey because we are caught up in the fear of reaching the destination. As someone who is a few decades older than you, I can tell you that these fears are not easy to wish away, however, personal growth lies in being able to address them and tackling them head-on. “
As you navigate the complexities of your own journeys, do not be afraid to take a step back, reassess, and ask yourself: "Am I running towards a destination, or am I running towards myself?" The difference is subtle, yet profound. After all, the world needs leaders who are driven by purpose and not just ambition.
QUOTES RUDYARD KIPLING
Towards the end of the speech the CJI said “I leave you with some inspiring words from Rudyard Kipling's timeless poem "If". It captures the essence of what I have shared in my address:
“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son! [or daughter!]”
UNPRECEDENTED CLIMATE CRISIS
In his speech, the CJI said India, facing an unprecedented climate crisis and the perils of unchecked economic growth, urgently needs environmentally conscious lawyers trained in climate change law.
He said there is a misconceived perception that the traditional values of communities of India and Bhutan are antithetical to modern democratic ideas such as liberty, equality and dissent.
He said that such mechanisms must not be shunned as traditional and archaic. Instead, they must be supplemented by modern constitutional ideas.
"There is often a misconceived perception that the traditional values of our communities are antithetical to modern democratic ideas such as liberty, equality and dissent. However, a dispassionate look at the history of our communities in Asia often yields a different answer," he told the young graduates.
Pointing out that in India, the Constitution itself provides for village panchayats and gram sabhas, CJI Chandrachud said the provisions institutionalised such processes and imbued them with modern political thought and procedure.
"It is this tradition, rather than imported modern values, which explains the central role of public debate in India’s democracy and secular politics," he added.
He said similarly, the Constitution of Bhutan emphasises the concept of environmental stewardship and it declares every citizen a trustee of the kingdom's natural resources and environment for the benefit of the present and future generations and declares it the fundamental duty of every citizen to contribute to the protection and conservation of all forms of ecological degradation.
"The Government pledges to protect, conserve and improve the pristine environment and safeguard the biodiversity of the country; prevent pollution and ecological degradation; secure ecologically balanced sustainable development while promoting justifiable economic and social development," he highlighted.
He lauded the immense cultural and intellectual wealth Bhutan has to offer and said the success of the institution will be a milestone not just for this community, but also for the global legal community.
"I am inspired by the blend of modern, technologically advanced legal education with deep-rooted cultural and ethical values. The immense focus on clinical education, which not only imparts technical skills but also inculcates ethical values and teaches students to appreciate traditional methods of dispute resolution, is a fascinating experiment," he said.