I had hoped for a better day…… and then there was this!
I did not know Mr Nariman personally, but as a young lawyer, I had the privilege of being part of a team of lawyers briefing him on matters. Most of those days I was grateful for the senior lawyers in the team, who were briefing Mr Nariman and were at the receiving end of his incisive questions and legendary temper. Mercifully, I was invisible to him. My recollections from the time mostly revolve around, praying to God that no out-of-syllabus question was thrown my way.
Beyond the confines of those nerve-wracking briefings, I was also fortunate enough to attend lectures delivered by Mr. Nariman. His speeches were a treasure trove of wisdom, in-depth legal knowledge brilliantly laced with his signature humour.
My sincere condolences to Mr Nariman’s family, and to the entire legal fraternity.
Today, a veritable mind of legal wisdom has passed, akin to a supercomputer chip, unique and irreplaceable, and we have lost a repository of legal knowledge that, tragically, lacked a backup.
Sir, you have left an indelible mark on the fabric of legal scholarship. You will be deeply missed.
