Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai
- A life of dedication, inclusion and service -

Grace Jajo *

Justice B.R. Gavai visited Relief Camps at Churachandpur & Bishnupur on March 22 2025 :: Pix - Manipur State Legal Services Authority

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai's appointment as the Chief Justice of India is a proud moment in the country's legal history. Coming from a modest background, his journey to the top position in the country's top Court is not just about personal achievement but also a reflection of the Indian judiciary becoming more inclusive.

His recent efforts to help displaced families in Manipur show how deeply he cares about making justice available to everyone especially to the marginalised section of society.

From a Simple Life to the Supreme Court

Justice Gavai was born in Amravati, Maharashtra. He grew up in a family inspired by social reform, especially the ideas of Dr BR Ambedkar. His father, a political leader must have shown him the importance of justice and service to society. These values seems to have shaped his perspective from an early age. He studied law at Nagpur University and started practicing in 1985.

In the early part of his legal career, his focus on Constitutional and service-related matters seems to have enriched his understanding of how Government decisions affect people's lives and how the law can be used to protect citizens' rights. In 2003, Justice Gavai became a Judge in the Bombay High Court.

Over nearly 20 years, he is credited with many important cases related to Government policies, citizen rights, and public services. He was known for his fairness and deep understanding of the law. In 2019, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of India.

As one of the very few Judges from a Scheduled Caste background to reach this level, his appointment sent a strong message about true inclusiveness in the judiciary. At the Supreme Court, he continued to focus on decisions that reflected both legal principles and the realities faced by common people.

Reaching Out to the Displaced in Manipur

In March 2025, Justice Gavai in a historic move, led a team of Supreme Court Senior Judges and visited relief camps in both the Hills and Valley areas of Manipur. These camps were housing people who had been forced to leave their homes due to violence in the State that commence since May 2023.

The visit was a continuation of Legal Aid & Services provided by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), where Justice Gavai served as the Executive Chairman. In this rare Central team visit, Justice Gaval went much beyond the ritual of offering words of comfort instead he helped launch on-the-ground support to the suffering population of about 60000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Special Legal Services Clinics were set up in all the 290 relief camps across the districts. People were helped to get their lost documents back, apply for Government aid, and understand their legal rights. Thousands of zero FIRs were registered through the assistance of legal functionaries.

This significant outreach to victims of conflict in Manipur under his leadership did not end there, for under his direction Legal Services Camp and free health camp were organised in all the relief camps where around 400 medical doctors and 800 medical staff were utilised to provide healthcare. A team of doctors from Chennai also joined this noble cause.

The goal was to improve lives immediately while also re-connecting people to longterm support programs of the Government. A good example of this continued effort happened on 13th and 14th May, 2025, in Imphal West and Imphal East.

A promotional legal & awareness campaign along with free medical camp was held at Konthoujam relief camps and Urup relief camp where Justice D Krishnakumar Chief Justice High Court of Manipur, accompanied by other Judges of the High Court of Manipur interacted with the inmates and distributed relief materials.

Justice Gavai's leadership and NALSA's support made this and many such events possible. His belief that "justice must go to the people, especially those who can't reach the Courts," was clearly seen in such actions where he made access to judiciary possible to the most vulnerable people.

Delivering Justice with Purpose

Justice Gavai is known for taking thoughtful and balanced decisions. He has always advocated that the primary values in the Constitution like equality, dignity, and freedom, should be felt in peoples' everyday lives and not just remain written in law books. Over the years, he has handled many significant cases and stood especially firm on cases involving corruption, where he has shown little tolerance for misuse of power.

He has also maintained and upheld due process and fairness in all legal proceedings. In cases related to free speech, privacy, and equal treatment, he has shown great care in ensuring that legal decisions protect both individual rights and the broader public interest. His focus is always on making the law work for everyone, especially the underprivileged.

A Milestone for Inclusivity

Justice Gavai's rise to the Chief Justice's position is not just a personal achievement it is a moment of change for the entire country. He is the first person from the Buddhist community and only the second from a Scheduled Caste to become Chief Justice of India. This also symbolises the celebration of the pluralistic character of a huge and diverse country like India which strives to incorporate inclusivity in all aspects of the system and governance.

His own life experiences surely would have helped him expand his understandings of what it feels like to be on the margins of a society making him more sensitive to the needs of people who are often ignored or left out of the system. As Chief Justice, he is now in a position to push for reforms and make the justice system more relevant and easier to access.

Perhaps he might push for increase in using modern technology, reaching remote areas, and simplifying legal procedures and ultimately delivering prompt justice to all irrespective of class, caste, religion and other disadvantaged identities.

What We Can Expect From His Tenure

As the Chief Justice of India, Justice Gavai now leads the entire judicial system. He takes on this role at a time when there are many challenges such as long delays in Court cases, the need for transparency and maintaining the independence of the judiciary.

Based on his past record, he is expected to focus on improving the infrastructure down to the district Courts, spreading more legal awareness, and using digital tools to speed up legal processes. He may also set his priority on reducing the pendency of cases starting from the Supreme Court down to the District Courts. Justice Gavai is also likely to play a key role in how the judiciary works with other parts of the Government.

He is known for promoting dialogue and co-operation while always protecting the independence of the courts. During his tenure, perhaps we might see a more focus attention on reintegration of drop out students, upholding women's rights, protecting civil freedom and accountability in the judicial system.

A Leader with Heart and Vision

Justice Gavai's journey from a modest background to the highest judicial office in India is truly inspiring and will definitely inspire the young people especially from disadvantaged backgrounds to dream bigger. He is a testament that all things are possible with a consistent combination of hard work and integrity.

He is known not only for his legal expertise but also for his rare character of compassion, a strong sense of fairness and a desire to make the justice system work for everyone.

As he begins his time as Chief Justice today, the whole country including people from the peripheral States like Manipur celebrate this moment with great hope and joy that he will bring positive dynamic change, not just through his judgments, but by making the entire system more fair, open, and accessible.

As he once said, "Justice must not only be done but must be felt by those who need it most." That belief is what makes Justice Gavai's leadership so important and so promising for India's future.