Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant offered a rare, human glimpse into the anxieties of a young judge during a recent address at the Supreme Court of India in New Delhi. Speaking at a felicitation ceremony organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) in honour of newly elevated apex court judges Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, the 53rd Chief Justice of India underscored a timeless truth of judicial life: a judge is ultimately recognised and remembered solely through the quality of their judgments. To drive home that lesson for the newly appointed members of the Bench, CJI Surya Kant recounted a memorable episode from more than two decades ago, shortly after he had taken oath as a young judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh. Back then, an unexpected summons from three sitting Supreme Court judges left him genuinely apprehensive before turning into one of the most encouraging moments of his career.

“Are You Suryakant?”: How a Protocol Officer’s Message Sparked Nervousness

Recalling the incident in vivid detail, CJI Surya Kant explained that he had been serving on the Punjab and Haryana High Court bench for only a brief period when he attended an official event in Chandigarh. Three Supreme Court judges were also in the city at the time for a private engagement. Suddenly, a protocol officer approached the young High Court judge with an urgent message, asking, “Are you Justice Suryakant? Three judges of the Supreme Court want to meet you”. Having never met any of those three senior judges before—all of whom hailed from different parts of South India—Justice Surya Kant admitted that his immediate reaction was a mix of surprise and nervousness. “I was a little surprised and also a bit scared, wondering if I was making some mistake and whether these three judges were going to pull me up or take me to task,” the CJI recalled with a smile.

Fear Turns Into Encouragement as Apex Court Judges Praise His Judgments

When Justice Surya Kant walked in to meet the three Supreme Court judges, however, the atmosphere turned out to be the exact opposite of what he had feared. Looking at the young judge from Haryana, the senior judges asked directly, “Are you Suryakant?” Upon receiving an affirmative reply, they warmly commended his judicial work. They told him that judgments authored by him regularly reached the Supreme Court in appeals, and they were deeply impressed by the clarity, reasoning, and craftsmanship of his writing, urging him to keep up the good work. Sharing the story with the legal fraternity in New Delhi, CJI Surya Kant noted that those three judges knew nothing about his personal background—they knew him exclusively through the words and legal logic he put down on paper. For young judicial officers and advocates across Indian legal hubs—from New Delhi and Chandigarh to major High Court centres across Uttar Pradesh such as Prayagraj, Lucknow, Kanpur, and Unnao—the anecdote served as a powerful reminder that rigorous, well-reasoned judgments speak louder than any introduction.

From Hisar District Courts to the Office of Chief Justice of India

The humility reflected in CJI Surya Kant’s anecdote aligns closely with his steady, self-made rise through India’s judicial hierarchy. Born on February 10, 1962, into a middle-class family in Hisar, Haryana, he graduated from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, before earning his Bachelor of Laws degree from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984. He began practising law at the District Court in Hisar in 1984 and shifted to Chandigarh the following year to argue constitutional, service, and civil matters before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. His legal acumen earned him the distinction of becoming the youngest Advocate General of Haryana in July 2000, followed by his designation as a Senior Advocate in March 2001. Appointed as a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004, he served there for over fourteen years before taking charge as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in October 2018. Elevated to the Supreme Court of India on May 24, 2019, Justice Surya Kant assumed office as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on November 24, 2025, and is scheduled to serve until February 9, 2027.

Why Judicial Craftsmanship and Institutional Teamwork Matter Today

Throughout his tenure as Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant has consistently emphasised institutional integrity, timely justice delivery, and collegiality on the Bench. During the same SCBA gathering in New Delhi, he highlighted that alongside seniority, merit, and regional diversity, “team spirit” remains a vital attribute when evaluating judges for elevation to the nation’s highest court. Against a backdrop of rising case filings and mounting public expectations across India’s courtrooms, CJI Surya Kant’s personal story carries enduring relevance. By recalling the day a sudden summons made him fear a reprimand—only to earn praise for his written orders—the Chief Justice reminded every member of the Bench and Bar that quiet dedication to craft remains the surest foundation of judicial credibility.