Month before retiring, ‘anxious’ CJI fears how history will judge him

A month before demitting office, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud is anxious about the way history will judge him and the legacy he will leave for the future generations of judges.

Speaking at the third convocation ceremony of the Jigme Singye Wangchuck (JSW) School of Law in Bhutan on Tuesday, the CJI — who is set to retire on November 10 — expressed his “fears and anxieties” about certain questions related to the future and the past — answers to most of which were beyond his control.

“Pardon me for being a little vulnerable. I will be demitting office as the CJI in November this year, after having served my country for two years. As my tenure is coming to an end, my mind has been heavily preoccupied with fears and anxieties about the future and the past,” he said.

He added: “I find myself pondering over questions such as: Did I achieve everything I set out to do? How will history judge my tenure? Could I have done things differently? What legacy will I leave for future generations of judges and legal professionals?”

The CJI said the answers to most of these questions were beyond his control and perhaps he would never find answers to some of them. “However, I do know that over the last two years, I have woken up every morning with a commitment to give the job my fullest and gone to bed with the satisfaction that I served my country with utmost dedication. It is in this, that I seek solace. Once you have this sense of faith in your intentions and abilities, it is easier to not get obsessed with the outcomes. You begin to value the process and the journey towards these outcomes,” he said.

As somebody embarks on a professional journey, he must remember the inner child who dreamed of transforming the world, Chandrachud said. “This idealism remains a guiding principle, a mandate for recipients of this exceptional education,” he added.