Mumbai, December 11
Eminent jurist and constitutional expert  Nani Ardeshir Palkhivala died at the Jaslok Hospital and Research  Centre here this evening following cardiac arrest. He was 82.

Dr Palkhivala was admitted to hospital last Saturday following a cardiac ailment. There was no significant improvement in his health  condition. ''The end came at 1730 hrs and he died of cardiac failure,'' Jaslok Hospital's Medical Director Vijay Kumar said.

Dr Palkhivala's wife died a couple of years ago.

Dr Palkhivala, a former Ambassador to the USA, was not keeping well for the past three years. The legal community in the country condoled the death of the legal luminary who was well-versed with all aspects of law and had fought several important cases.

He was also popular for his post-Union Budget analysis and it drew huge crowds in the city. He had also been on the board of several companies.

Dr Palkhivala held a host of legal and academic posts throughout his career. One of his most important cases left a mark on the Indian Constitutional Law. Popularly known as the `Fundamental Rights Case', it led to the Supreme Court interpreting the Constitution with a full Bench of 13 judges hearing the case. It was during this case that Nani became a household word in India. 

None other than C Rajagopalachari had once observed, ''Nani is God's gift to India''.

Barring a few exceptions, many of the cases were all fought by him without charging any fees and as a matter of service to the nation.

Dr Palkhivala authored several books during his lifetime. Perhaps the most famous of his works was published in 1984—''We, the Nation'', which contains his speeches and writings of over three decades, including extracts from his speeches on the various union budgets. 

Mr Palkhivala had many activities outside the immediate sphere of his work.

He was a member of the Forum of Free Enterprise, Leslie Sawhny Programme of Training for Democracy, AD, Shroff Memorial Trust and Lotus Trust.