'Forgive me if...’: Justice DY Chandrachud's final message as Chief Justice of India

There was no greater feeling than being able to serve those in need and people he never knew or met, Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said on his last working day as the 50th head of the Indian judiciary on Friday.

Heading a four-judge ceremonial bench, also comprising CJI-designate Sanjiv Khanna, Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, which assembled to bid him farewell, the CJI expressed a deep sense of fulfilment, not only for the work accomplished but for the opportunity to serve the country.

Justice Chandrachud stepped into the shoes of his illustrious father Y V Chandrachud, who served as the longest CJI between 1978 and 1985, on November 9, 2022 and will be demitting office on November 10, a Sunday.

Rich tributes were paid to him by CJI-designate Khanna and bar leaders, including the attorney general, the solicitor general, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Kapil Sibal and others to mark the pivotal moment in India's judicial history.

"You asked me what keeps me going. It is this court which has kept me going, because there is not a single day when you feel that you have not learned something, that you have not had an opportunity to serve the society.

"And there is no greater feeling than being able to serve those in need and the people you would never meet, people you possibly do not even know, people whose lives you have the ability to affect without ever having seen them," a visibly emotional CJI said.

In his address, CJI Chandrachud recounted his journey, from sitting in the last row of the court as a young law student to his time on the revered corridors of the top court.

He reflected on the immense privilege of serving the country, emphasising that each day spent in the court was an opportunity to learn and grow in both legal knowledge and personal insight.

"I was always aware of the overpowering presence of the greats of this court and the responsibility that came with sitting in this chair. But at the end of the day, it is not about the individual, it is about the institution and the cause of justice we uphold here," the CJI said.

He spoke with admiration for his colleagues, particularly highlighting his time on the bench with Justices Pardiwala and Misra, noting the camaraderie and diversity of perspectives that enriched their collective work.

The CJI also expressed his confidence in the future of the court, reassuring the legal community that his successor, Justice Khanna, whom he described as "dignified, stable and deeply committed to justice", would lead the court with equal dedication and vision.

In a heartfelt conclusion, CJI Chandrachud expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to his journey -- senior advocates, juniors, officers and staff -- acknowledging that each one of them played a role in shaping his understanding of the law and life.

He also extended an apology for any unintentional errors or misunderstandings, saying, "If I have ever hurt anyone, I seek your forgiveness."

Justice Khanna wished good luck to the CJI, saying, "He has made my task easy and tough. Easy because of the revolutions ushered in and tough because I cannot walk up to him. He will be sorely missed. His youthfulness is not known here only but also abroad. In Australia, there were so many who came to me and asked what his age was."

Sibal described the CJI as "the extraordinary son of an extraordinary father".

"I have practised in this court for 52 years now and in my life, I have never seen a judge with the kind of limitless patience that you have, the ever smiling Dr Chandrachud," the SCBA president said.

"What can I say about you as a human being and you as a judge? As a judge, your conduct was exemplary. No one can match it. You reached out to communities in this country who were never heard before, who were not seen before. You brought them before you and showed what dignity meant for them," he added.

"Be it liberty, be it fraternity, be it life, be it the life of ordinary, marginalised challenged people, you have, unlike your father, dealt with this court when the court was tumultuous. You have dealt with the court when matters were tumultuous. You took them head on, unafraid of the consequences. Your greatest legacy to this court that there will be none like you...," he said.

Former attorney general K K Venugopal recounted his experience and said, "When your father asked me should I advise him (Justice Chandrachud) to continue at the bar or take judgeship, I said he is a great lawyer and let him continue in the same. But you took up judgeship and thank god. If you had listened to me, then we would have lost such a great judge."

Born on November 11, 1959, Justice Chandrachud has had a distinguished career in the judiciary.

His passion for cricket dates back to his childhood, when he reportedly played the sport in the backyard of his father's residence in Lutyens' Delhi.

He was designated as a senior advocate by the Bombay High Court in June 1998 and served as the additional solicitor general, before being appointed a judge of the Bombay High Court on March 29, 2000. He later became the chief justice of the Allahabad High Court on October 31, 2013.

Justice Chandrachud holds a BA degree in Economics from Delhi's St Stephen's College, an LLB from the Delhi University's Campus Law Centre and an LLM and a Doctorate in Juridical Sciences (SJD) from the Harvard Law School.