Renowned legal luminary and veteran advocate Fali Sam Nariman passed away on Wednesday at the age of 95. He had been battling multiple ailments, including cardiac issues.
Born on January 10, 1929, Nariman was enrolled as an advocate at the Bombay High Court in November 1950 and was designated as a senior advocate in 1961.
Nariman, born in Rangoon (now Yangon) to a prosperous business executive, fled to India during the Japanese invasion in 1942 when he was 12 years old.
With a legal career spanning over 70 years, he initially practised law in the Bombay High Court and since 1972, in the Supreme Court.In May 1972, Nariman was appointed as the additional solicitor general of India. However, he resigned from the post a day after the imposition of Emergency on June 26, 1975.
Throughout his illustrious career, Nariman argued in numerous landmark cases, including the Bhopal gas tragedy case, TMA Pai case, Jayalalithaa disproportionate assets case, and the renowned case of the National Judicial Appointments Commission, which was struck down by the Supreme Court.
Often referred to as the ‘Bhishma Pitamah’ of the Indian judiciary, Nariman authored several 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.”Nariman was honored with the Padma Bhushan in January 1991 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2007. Additionally, he was nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha in November 1999.
Reacting to his demise, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi took to X and wrote: “’End of an era’ #falinariman passes away, a living legend who will forever be in the hearts and minds of those in law and public life. Above all his diverse achievements, he stuck to his principles unwaveringly and called a spade a spade, a quality shared by his brilliant son #Rohinton.”
Fali Nariman’s son, Rohinton Nariman, served as a Supreme Court judge from 2014 to 2021.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta remarked that not only the legal fraternity but also the country has lost a towering figure of intellect and wisdom. He stated, “The country has lost an epitome of what righteousness stood for. A doyenne, paragon, and legend in his own lifetime has left us, leaving the jurisprudence enriched by his immense contribution. I have always learned something new by merely appearing even against him.” Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan expressed his sorrow, stating that Nariman’s death was an enormous loss to the country. He wrote on X: “Very sad news. Eminent Jurist Fali S Nariman Passes Away.