Meet Justice Surya Kant, From a Benchless Village School in Haryana to India’s Loftiest Judicial Office
Justice Surya Kant Chief Justice of India, this expression is making captions as the Supreme Court’ssenior-most judge is set to take charge as the 53rd Chief Justice of India coming month. His inspiring trip — from a small village in Haryana to the country’s top judicial post — reflects sheer determination, discipline, and modesty.
He’ll be the first person from Haryana ever to hold this prestigious position.
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Humble onsets in a village Without Benches
Born on February 10, 1962, in Petwar village, Hisar quarter, Haryana, Justice Surya Kant’s nonage was embedded in simplicity. His early education took place in a village academy without benches, where he sat on the bare ground to study.
He first saw a megacity when he travelled to Hansi to appear for his Class 10 board examinations. Despite limited coffers, he helped his family with diurnal chores and participated in the typical liabilities of pastoral life. His father was a teacher, and education remained a guiding value in the family.
A Trip Driven by Perseverance
In a recent visit to his alma mater, Maharshi Dayanand University( MDU), Rohtak, where he earned his LLB degree in 1984, Justice Surya Kant spoke about his early struggles. He fondly recalled studying under dim oil painting lights, frequently late into the night, alongside his musketeers, all motivated by a participatory dream of securing a government job.
“ That dream kept me determined through every difficulty, ” he said, reflecting on his modest beginnings in a village where electricity was a rare honour.
Youthful Advocate General of Haryana
Justice Surya Kant began his law practice at the Hisar District Court before moving to Chandigarh to practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
At the age of 38 and a half, he made history by getting Haryana’s youthful Advocate General( AG). Just a many years later, in 2004, he was appointed a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court at only 42 times of age.
Indeed, as a sitting judge, he continued his academic hobbies and earned a postgraduate degree in law with first-class honours from Kurukshetra University in 2011.
14 Times at the Punjab & Haryana High Court
During his 14- time term at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Surya Kant delivered several corner judgments. He demonstrated deep perceptivity towards public weal, victims’ rights, land accession, and indigenous balance.
Among his notable rulings:
1. Recognising the captivity convicts’ right to marital visits or artificial copulation for gravidity.
2. Cancelling illegal land accessions after uncovering a conspiracy between politicians and builders, particularly in Haryana’s NCR region.
3. Arranging free council education for a murderer’s son after condemning the man who had killed his woman
He was also part of the full bench that ordered a complete clean-up of Dera Sacha Sauda’s Sirsa headquarters in 2017 after large-scale violence erupted following the conviction of its leader. The same order directed central agencies to probe fiscal irregularities within the organisation.
Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court
After serving 14 times as a High Court judge, Justice Surya Kant was elevated as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on October 5, 2018.
During his brief term there, he concentrated on executive translucency and judicial effectiveness. He explosively emphasised that access to water and electricity must be treated as an essential part of the abecedarian right to life under the Constitution.
Trip to The Supreme Court of India
On May 24, 2019, Justice Surya Kant took the oath as a judge of the Supreme Court of India. His associates describe him as a magistrate of deep intellect and balanced wisdom, known for his fair- inclined judgments and fidelity to justice.
He also served as a member of the National Legal Services Authority( NALSA) governing body between 2007 and 2011, and was part of several major Supreme Court benches that shaped crucial aspects of Indian law.
India’s Next Chief Justice from Haryana
Justice Surya Kant is set to take the pledge as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on November 24, succeeding Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud. His term will continue until February 9, 2027.
Once verified, he’ll be the first-ever Chief Justice of India from Haryana — a corner achievement for both the state and the Indian bar.
Heritage of Simplicity and Integrity
From studying on a slush-bottom bottom in a benchless academy to leading India’s bar, Justice Surya Kant’s story is one of adaptability, modesty, and unwavering integrity.
His life and career serve as an inspiring memorial that determination and fidelity can indeed overcome the most humble obstacles.