In Honor of a Jurist’s Enduring Legacy: CJI Surya Kant Unveils Ashoke Kumar Sen’s Portrait at the Supreme Court
(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)
New Delhi: 29, July,2026- Chief Justice of India Surya Kant today unveiled a portrait of former Union Law Minister and Senior Advocate Ashoke Kumar Sen at the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Library.
The Chief Justice emphasized that this tribute serves not merely to adorn the library, but to “enshrine within these walls the spirit of a life devoted to justice, intellect, and public service.”
Ashoke Kumar Sen, a distinguished legal figure, holds the record as India’s longest-serving Law Minister, having served under Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi. His extensive career also included portfolios such as Communications and Steel and Mines.
Furthermore, he presided over the SCBA and represented India at numerous international conferences focused on law and human rights.
The unveiling ceremony, held at the Main Auditorium of the Supreme Court’s Administrative Building Complex, saw the presence of several eminent personalities from the legal fraternity, including former Supreme Court judges Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice Pankaj Mithal, Attorney General R Venkataramani, Senior Advocate Harish Salve, and current SCBA office-bearers.
Members of Sen’s family were also in attendance, paying their respects with flower petals.
CJI Surya Kant lauded Sen’s legacy as “as storied as it is inspiring,” describing him as a “scholar of rare distinction, an Advocate of exemplary erudition and a statesman of firm commitment.” The Chief Justice highlighted Sen’s unique ability to “bridge the worlds of law and governance with the grace of one truly called to serve his nation.”
Reflecting on the significance of such portraits, CJI Surya Kant stated that a court’s memory extends beyond its judgments to encompass “the lives that shaped its conscience.” He noted that each portrait serves to “stand guard, as much as they commemorate lives of exceptional service,” encouraging lawyers to aspire to the high standards set by their predecessors.
“The corridors of Library 1, lined with the visage of great minds, serve not only to memorialize but to inspire. For every Advocate who passes through the library, seeking wisdom among the volumes, this portrait would be a silent reminder: that our calling transcends personal ambition, that the practice of law and the stewardship of justice are sacred trusts in service of the Republic”
He shared an anecdote illustrating Sen’s sharp legal acumen, where Sen, when questioned by a judge about his certainty regarding a statutory provision, famously replied, “Because, My Lords, I drafted it.” The Chief Justice also recalled accounts of Sen’s “corridor briefings,” where he could master complex briefs with remarkable speed.
“Similarly, seniors at this Bar still recall Mr. Sen’s legendary “corridor briefing.” That when a matter was handed to him at the very last minute, in the corridors of this Court, he nonetheless argued it as though he had lived with the brief for weeks. My Brother Justice Dipankar Datta recently captured Mr. Sen’s legal prowess simply, remarking that “You had Palkhivala in Bombay, and Mr. Sen in Kolkata.”
With the AK Sen Block already an integral part of the Supreme Court’s daily landscape, CJI Surya Kant concluded that the portrait would now give a face to the name, prompting future generations to reflect on questions of preparation, fairness, and the ethical application of law.
“I believe that Mr. Sen lived at a rare confluence. He was equally at home with the brief and the Bill, with precedent and policy, with the discipline of the courtroom and the demands of public life. While most lawyers spend a lifetime trying to master one institution, he helped shape more than one.
He asserted that institutions are fortified not only by landmark judgments but also by “the daily habits of preparation, restraint, humour, and respect.” The Chief Justice concluded by stating that Sen, now “a silent senior, never seeking the floor, yet always entitled to be heard,” has been eternalized, reminding all that “brilliance without balance is incomplete; that office without service is transient; and that law without humanity is barren.”
Attorney General R Venkataramani also spoke, remembering Sen as an advocate who maintained his connection to the bar even while holding high office, crediting him with bestowing “dignity and independence” upon the legal profession.
He recounted an exchange where Prime Minister Nehru inquired about a lawyer’s ultimate plea, to which Sen responded, “anukampa, compassion, reham.” Senior Advocate Harish Salve delivered the keynote address.
