Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said the country has overcome many difficult challenges over the past eight decades, but much work remains to be done. He urged young law graduates and lawyers to be prepared to take on the responsibilities of the future.
The CJI was speaking after hoisting the national flag on Independence Day at the Supreme Court campus at an event organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association.
He said, “A nation’s journey does not end with its achievements. Every achievement brings with it a renewed sense of responsibility and duty. Much remains to be done, and many miles lie ahead.”
CJI urges young lawyers to take on responsibility
Addressing young lawyers, CJI Surya Kant said the responsibility shouldered by the Bar since the freedom struggle would soon be passed on to their generation.
He said, “The Bar and the Bench are committed to your growth. We will guide you, create meaningful opportunities for you and place our trust in you. The milestones ahead are yours to achieve, and we will walk alongside you.”
Legal profession has become more competitive, says CJI
- Young people today stand where many of us once stood full of hope and ambition, but perhaps with some uncertainty about the future.
- “I do not say this to discourage our young colleagues. I want them to know that we see them and understand the challenges they face,” the CJI said.
- He noted that the legal profession had become increasingly competitive, while the learning process had grown more demanding. The pressure on young lawyers to establish their practice at the outset was also immense.
- However, he said young lawyers had demonstrated a strong fighting spirit, sharp understanding and a genuine commitment to justice. “These qualities give us confidence in the future of the profession,” he said.
- The CJI said young people had grown up in an era in which technology had transformed the way people communicate and acquire knowledge. They were bringing this ability to adapt to technological changes into the courts as well.
- He also highlighted that young lawyers were increasingly aware of issues such as equality, inclusion and access to justice. They understood that the law must remain connected to the lives and aspirations of the people it serves.
Law’s deep connection with the freedom struggle
CJI Suryakant said that the freedom struggle had a deep and lasting connection with law. The thought and work of many of the best legal minds of that generation led to the understanding that the purpose of law is not merely to give orders or maintain control.
He said that the true purpose of law is to deliver justice, protect freedom, and uphold human dignity.
The CJI said that Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar were among the two great architects of modern India. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Motilal Nehru, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Lala Lajpat Rai were also lawyers.
He said that this makes it clear that the legal profession was not merely a spectator in India’s freedom struggle, but an integral part of it.
Courts became the voice of people’s rights
CJI Surya Kant said India’s freedom struggle differed from movements in other colonies. Rather than being primarily an armed rebellion, it challenged British rule through political movements, petitions, public debate and, most importantly, the language of law.
He said a key question raised during the freedom movement was: if the British claimed to rule through law, could the same law deny people their freedom, equality and dignity?
He said the lesson remains relevant today, as people from diverse backgrounds approach courts to assert their constitutional rights, challenge arbitrary actions and seek equal treatment under the law.
The CJI said courts continue to serve as a unifying space for litigants and members of the Bar.
Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh and other members of the Bar also addressed the event.
