BR Gavai sworn in as 52nd Chief Justice of India – first top judge from Buddhist community

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday, 14 May administered oath of office to Justice BR Gavai as the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who retired as 51st Chief Justice of India on Tuesday, 13 May.

Soon after taking oath at Rashtrapati Bhawan, CJI BR Gavai greeted President Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, former President Ram Nath Kovind and other dignitaries. Justice Gavai is the 52nd Chief Justice of India.

Justice Gavai is the first Buddhist and second Dalit to be Chief Justice of India. Before him, former CJI KG Balakrishnan became the first Dalit CJI in 2007. Balakrishnan served for three years. Justice Gavaiwill be the Chief Justice of India for six months before retiring in November 2025.

Who is Justice Gavai?

Justice Gavai was born on November 24, 1960 in Amravati, Maharashtra. After a BCom degree, Justice Gavai studied law from Amravati University.

Justice Gavai's father Ramakrishna Suryabhan Gavai was a well-known Ambedkarite leader and founder of the Republican Party of India. A Lok Sabha MP from Amravati, Ramakrishna Gavai served as Governor of Bihar, Sikkim, and Kerala between 2006 and 2011, when the Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre.

Gavai joined the Bar on March 16, 1985 at the age of 25. He practiced law independently at Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990. Later, he practiced before Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court, according to his profile available on the Supreme Court's website.

Gavai became a permanent Judge of the Bombay High Court on 12 November, 2005 and was elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on 24 May , 2019 after serving as High Court judge for 16 years.

SC Judge since 2019

During his stint at the Supreme Court before becoming the CJI, Justice BR Gavai was a part of about 700 Benches dealing with subjects around constitutional and administrative law, civil law, criminal law, commercial disputes, arbitration law, to name a few.

Justice Gavai authored around 300 judgments including Constitution Bench Judgements on various issues upholding the rule of law and safeguarding the fundamental rights, human rights and legal rights of citizens.