Ahead of his retirement on August 10, Supreme Court Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia said that he would "miss Hindustan", reflecting on the diverse range of lawyers and litigants from across India who appeared before him..During the ceremonial bench proceedings held today, Justice Dhulia said, "I know all of this is customary and I will not take all this very seriously. My wife asked me what will I miss the most when I demit office. I said Hindustan. By Hindustan, I mean you all. It is only Court where cases and lawyers comes from all parts of the country...this is what I will miss the most. I will not have this Hindustan before me every morning.".Justice Dhulia was born on August 10, 1960 and earned a Master’s degree in Modern History in 1983, and an LL.B. in 1986.He began his practice in civil and constitutional law at the Allahabad High Court before moving to the Uttarakhand High Court.Appointed as a judge of the Uttarakhand High Court in 2008, he later became Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court in January 2021, and was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 9, 2022..Speaking at the ceremony, CJI BR Gavai said that Justice Dhulia developed a sharp legal mind, a keen understanding of the law and an articulate grasp of complex legal issues."I express my heartfelt sentiments on this day. He has served in some of the remotest part of the country. He hails from Garhwal...One of the remote and beautiful places of Uttarakhand...he comes from a legacy of litigators and freedom fighters...His early education took him to various cities. He has a sharp legal mind and keen understanding of law and was articulate in understanding complex legal problems.".CJI Gavai added that Justice Dhulia’s elevation first as Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court and later to the Supreme Court reflects his exceptional expertise."Over the years, Justice Dhulia has delivered several landmark judgments. He has been a source of wisdom for his colleague. He has a rare combination of patience and wisdom and his approach has never been superficial but driven by quiet conviction. He is an avid reader and also a keen golfer. When he was a judge of Uttarakhand High Court, I used to get beautiful books from him on the State...We are grateful for your contribution and we wish you good health. We know you will be in Delhi and after November 24, we will have longer time to spend together," CJI remarked..Advocate General R Venkataramani noted that Justice Dhulia consistently ensured that litigants had their day in court."He always saw the human element in a case. He will be fondly remembered for this.".Solicitor General Tushar Mehta remarked that Justice Dhulia would be remembered for many reasons."You have never had pre-decided notions on any issues. Secondly, very few of us know about your keen interest in literature and Urdu Ghazals. You never allowed your personal interest to interfere with his judicial function...your lordship has kept the Allahabad culture alive. We never felt uncomfortable before your Lordship. You made all of us very comfortable in arguments.".Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) President Vipin Nair noted that although Justice Dhulia held a Master’s degree in history and was deeply rooted in it, his judgments had always been attuned to the demands of the present times."I had appeared before you in the Uttarakhand High Court, and you do not look a day older since then. We wish you all the best," remarked Additional Solicitor General ASG Aishwarya Bhati..[Check Live Reporting Here]
