NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday administered the oath of office to Justice Surya Kant, the 53rd Chief Justice of India and the first from Haryana. He took the oath in the name of God in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Cabinet ministers, the Vice-President, and judges from the Supreme Court and the high courts.
Justice Kant’s 235-member guest list reflected his commitment to honouring relationships he has maintained since childhood. Among those attending were nonagenarians and octogenarians who had watched him play as a boy in Petwar, a remote Hisar village, as well as several of his school and college teachers. They gathered at the ornate Ashoka Hall to witness him assume leadership of the Indian judiciary.
Outgoing CJI B.R. Gavai also attended and warmly embraced his successor after the ceremony. Although he arrived in the CJI’s official vehicle, Justice Gavai returned in a car provided by Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Among the guests was Usha Dahiya, 85, who taught Kant English during his undergraduate studies at Government College, Hisar—Hisar being the first town he ever visited. Two of his law professors from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak—Ranvir Singh, founding vice-chancellor of National Law University Delhi, and K.P.S. Mahalwar of NLUD—were also present. Kant, who earned his law degree in 1984, touched the feet of his elders and teachers before and after taking the oath.
Though his parents are no more, his elderly in-laws attended the ceremony. Many of his late father’s friends, childhood companions and relatives were also present, making it a deeply emotional moment. For most of them, it was their first experience of the grandeur of a Rashtrapati Bhavan ceremony. Justice Kant expressed gratitude, noting that Rashtrapati Bhavan had arranged seating for all his guests.
Monday’s event marked the largest-ever assembly of guests for a CJI’s oath-taking—a testament to the enduring bonds he built in the hinterland decades ago.
