Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was on Wednesday sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI) during a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office and secrecy to Justice Gavai, making him the first Buddhist and only the second individual from the Dalit community to hold the nation’s highest judicial position.
Justice Gavai would have a short tenure of six months as CJI. He is scheduled to retire on November 23, 2025. He has succeeded CJI Sanjiv Khanna, who demitted office on May 13.
Born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Maharashtra, Justice Gavai hails from a family deeply rooted in Ambedkarite principles. His father, RS Gavai, was a prominent leader of the Republican Party of India and served as the Governor of Bihar, Sikkim, and Kerala.
Justice Gavai joined the Bar on March 16, 1985. He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14, 2003, and became a permanent judge on November 12, 2005. He served at the High Court’s principal seat in Mumbai and Benches in Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji. He was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019.
He succeeded CJI Sanjiv Khanna, who retired on May 13. During his farewell function on Tuesday, the outgoing CJI said that Justice Gavai would turn out to be an excellent Chief Justice, who would uphold the institution, the fundamental rights, and the basic doctrines of law.