Nariman was always willing to speak for what was right and just: CJI DY Chandrachud
New Delhi, Apr 4: The ultimate test of a moral person is their willingness to raise a voice for justice even when it means rocking the boat, said Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Thursday while praising eminent jurist Fali S Nariman.
Speaking at a full-court reference held at the Supreme Court in honour of Nariman, who passed away on February 21, the CJI said his mental agility, dedication to work and commitment to the law remained uncompromised till the day he finally rested.
"The ultimate test of a moral person is their willingness to raise a voice for justice even when it means rocking the boat, and Mr Nariman was always willing to speak for what was right and just," the CJI said.
Chandrachud said Nariman’s life and career before our courts lived up to the highest ideals of the legal profession.
"No matter the client, the government or the case, Mr Nariman sought to advance a vision of the law grounded in liberty, equality and justice, the foundational values of our Constitution and ultimately, our society. No matter the occasion or the opponent, he conducted himself with grace and poise," he said.
The CJI said with the imposition of the Internal Emergency in June 1975, Nariman resigned as additional solicitor general.
"However, his continued accomplishments at the Supreme Court are a testament not only to his enduring legal prowess that saw him through turbulent times, but also to that finest tradition of the Bar in rising above the disagreements of the day to unfailingly serve their clients, assist the Court and work towards our nation's betterment," he said.
Chandrachud said Nariman always recognised that his highest duty was to the court and the Constitution despite appearing for countless clients of various backgrounds and creeds.
Nariman, a doyen of Indian judiciary, was part of several landmark legal proceedings that helped shape modern India, including the Kesavanand Bharati case in which the Supreme Court laid down the basic structure doctrine.
Nariman, 95, was born into a well-to-do Parsi family on January 10, 1929 in Rangoon, now Yangon, in Myanmar. His family fled to India during the Japanese invasion when he was only 12.
Nariman enrolled as an advocate of the Bombay High Court in November 1950 and was designated a senior advocate in 1961.
He practised law for more than 70 years, initially at the Bombay High Court, and since 1972, in the Supreme Court.
Nariman was appointed as the additional solicitor general of India in May 1972. He resigned from the post a day after the imposition of Emergency on June 26, 1975.
In his long and illustrious career, Nariman argued in several landmark cases, including the Bhopal gas tragedy case, TMA Pai case (rights of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions), J Jayalalithaa's disproportionate assets case and the case involving the National Judicial Appointments Commission, which was struck down by the Supreme Court.
Nariman, who was often referred to as the "Bhishma Pitamah" of the Indian judiciary, authored books including "Before the Memory Fades", "The State of the Nation", "India's Legal System: Can it be Saved?" and "God Save the Hon'ble Supreme Court".
He received the Padma Bhushan in 1991 and the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second highest civilian honour, in 2007.
He was nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha in November 1999.
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Vaishnaw flags off Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat, services from May 2
Srinagar (PTI): Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday flagged off the 20-coach Vande Bharat Express train between Jammu and Srinagar, the first direct train between the twin capitals of Jammu and Kashmir.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Jitendra Singh, were among the dignitaries present at the flagging off ceremony.
The direct train services between Srinagar and Jammu will reduce travel time between the twin capitals of Jammu and Kashmir, and boost tourism, besides providing an all-weather surface transport link.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first direct train service between Katra and Srinagar on June 6, 2025. This service is now being extended up to the Jammu Tawi Railway Station.
The work on the Rs 43,780-crore rail project, linking Kashmir to the rest of the country, began in the late 1990s, with the first train operating in the Kashmir Valley in October 2008.
While train services had reached Udhampur by 2005, the treacherous terrain through the mountainous Pir Panjal range made it tough to link the valley with the rest of the country until 2025.
"The modern 20-coach Vande Bharat train will commence its maiden journey from Jammu Tawi, traversing the route up to Srinagar while connecting the challenging geographical terrains of the Valley," an official said, adding that a train from Srinagar has also started moving towards Jammu simultaneously.
Before the commencement of the Jammu-Srinagar service, a trial run of the Vande Bharat was conducted on Tuesday from Jammu to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway stations, officials said.
The inaugural Vande Bharat train, equipped with state-of-the-art amenities and comprising 20 coaches, will cover a total distance of 267 kilometres.
The Jammu-Srinagar train service -- scheduled to start on May 2 -- will operate six days a week. There will be no train service on this route on Tuesdays.
"Constructed using indigenous technology, this Vande Bharat Express will offer passengers a world-class travel experience," Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal said.
"It features amenities such as the 'Kavach' safety system for passenger security, a GPS-based information system, and comfortable rotating seats. This service will not only reduce travel time but also provide a massive boost to the local economy and tourism," he added.
The extension of the Vande Bharat to Jammu Tawi is the latest milestone in a decade-long effort to transform railway connectivity in Jammu & Kashmir.
The Udhampur-Katra section was commissioned in 2014. The Kashmir Valley saw its first electric train in February 2024, while a dedicated Jammu Railway Division was created in January 2025.
Stations at Jammu Tawi, Katra, Udhampur, and Budgam are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link, built at a total cost of Rs 43,780 crore with 36 tunnels spanning 119 km and 943 bridges, is the connective tissue that makes all of this possible, an official said.
