Eminent legal luminaries like Shri. S. E. Dastur, Shri. N. M. Ranka, Dr. K. Shivaram and others from across the Country have paid their tributes to late Shri. S. H. Kapadia, the former Chief Justice of India, for his stellar contribution to the development of law and justice
(1) Shri. Sohrab Erach Dastur, Sr. Advocate
1. Justice Kapadia was the first Chief Justice born in free and independent India (29th September, 1947). This corresponds to his approach in all judicial matters – free and independent in his thinking and in the pronouncement of judgments – not afraid to dissent where necessary. He was enrolled as an advocate of the High Court at Bombay at the age of 27 years, comparatively an old age for such enrolment, but this was because he had to support himself and his family by engaging himself in an employment prior to qualifying as an advocate. Even to educate himself and to go to college, he had to provide his own finance. He did not have a godfather in the profession. Mr. R. A. Gagrat, a fearless solicitor, who used to take on the most difficult cases – which others shied away from – appreciated lawyer Kapadia’s dedication to the profession and took interest in his progress. He later devilled in the Chambers of Mr. Feroze Damania, a leader in the field of labour law. Under his tutelage he developed as a very persuasive lawyer. As an advocate, he handled a variety of different types of litigations and was also a Counsel on the panel of tax lawyers of the Central Government in the High Court. He was meticulous in preparation of cases and was fair in presenting them.
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