Wed Jan 08 18:04:51 UTC 2025: ## Former Chief Justice Chandrachud: From Near-Economist to Legal Luminary
**New Delhi** – In an exclusive interview with NDTV, former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud revealed surprising details about his career path, highlighting the influence of his father and his own journey from near-economist to one of India’s most prominent legal figures.
Justice Chandrachud shared that law wasn’t his first choice, having initially planned to pursue postgraduate studies in Economics at the Delhi School of Economics after graduating from St. Stephen’s College. However, he ultimately joined the law faculty, a decision he credits to destiny. He emphasized the profound impact of his father, former Chief Justice YV Chandrachud, who instilled in him strong ethical values and allowed him to choose his own career path.
Despite being offered a judgeship at the young age of 38, his appointment was delayed by two years. During this time, he considered a permanent career at the bar, even consulting his father, who advised him to follow his own heart.
His legal career saw him learn from eminent figures like Fali Nariman, Soli Sorabjee, K Parasaran, and KK Venugopal. His Harvard Law School degree, while initially yielding surprisingly modest financial returns (his first brief earned him the equivalent of 75-90 rupees in the mid-1980s), ultimately proved beneficial in his long-term career. He also cited the influence of Professor Lotika Sarkar’s early feminist jurisprudence teachings at Delhi’s Campus Law Centre.
Reflecting on his landmark judgment scrapping electoral bonds, Justice Chandrachud highlighted the importance of intellectual rigor and fundamental legal principles in judicial decision-making. He emphasized the awareness of a judgment’s long-term societal impact, a factor that cultivates humility in Supreme Court judges given the vastness of legal knowledge.
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