By THE NEWSMAN OF INDIA.COM| Justice Surya Kant has been appointed as the 53rd Chief Justice of India, succeeding Justice Bhushan Gavai, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Law and Justice. He will assume office on November 24, marking a historic moment as the first CJI from Haryana.

Born on February 10, 1962, in Petwar village of Hisar district, Justice Kant’s journey from a humble rural background to the nation’s highest judicial office is one of remarkable perseverance. He completed his early education in his village school and went on to graduate from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, in 1981, followed by an LLB from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984.

Beginning his legal practice at the Hisar District Court, he shifted to Chandigarh in 1985 to practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. At 38, he became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana in July 2000 and was designated a Senior Advocate in 2001.

Justice Kant was elevated as Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2004 and later obtained a Master’s degree in Law from Kurukshetra University in 2011 with first-class distinction. He went on to serve as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in 2018 and was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2019.

A firm advocate of equitable justice, Justice Kant also served two terms on the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), where he played a key role in promoting legal aid and justice accessibility for the weaker sections of society.