Justice BR Gavai Sworn In as 52nd Chief Justice of India, Becomes First Buddhist to Hold Post

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was sworn in on Wednesday as the 52nd Chief Justice of India, becoming the first member of the Buddhist community to lead the country’s judiciary. The ceremony was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office.

In a heartfelt moment, Justice Gavai touched his mother’s feet as a mark of respect, following the official proceedings. However the gesture that quietly stole the spotlight amid the formality of the event.

The swearing-in ceremony saw the attendance of several top dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and several former Chief Justices and sitting judges of the Supreme Court and various High Courts.

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai takes over from Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who retired on Tuesday. Justice Khanna had served as the 51st Chief Justice since November 11, 2024.

Born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Maharashtra, Justice Gavai’s legal career spans nearly four decades. He enrolled as an advocate in 1985 and began practicing under Raja S. Bhonsale, a respected former Advocate General and High Court judge. By 1987, he had started his own practice at the Bombay High Court, and later became a familiar face at its Nagpur Bench.

He specialised in Constitutional and Administrative law, and over time, served as standing counsel for key institutions such as the Nagpur and Amravati Municipal Corporations, Amravati University, and several public sector entities including SICOM and DCVL. He also appeared regularly for municipal councils across the Vidarbha region.

In 1992, he was appointed Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court. He later became Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor in 2000.

Justice Gavai was appointed an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court in November 2003 and became a permanent judge in 2005. He handled a wide range of cases across the court’s benches in Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji.

In May 2019, he was elevated to the Supreme Court. Since then, he has been part of several significant Constitution benches and key judgments.

Now, as he begins his tenure as Chief Justice — which will run until November 23 this year — Justice Gavai’s appointment is being seen not just as a personal milestone, but a broader moment of representation and inclusion in the Indian judiciary.