Who is Justice B.R. Gavai, the 52nd Chief Justice of India, who rose from Amravati slum to the Supreme Court’s top post | All you need to know

New Delhi: Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai on Wednesday officially assumed office as the Chief Justice of India, succeeding Justice Sanjiv Khanna. President of India Droupadi Murmu administered the oath to Justice Gavai at a swearing-in ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. He is the 52st Chief Justice of India.

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai will have a term spilling a little over 6 months till November 23, 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, S Jayasankar, Piyush Goel, Arjun Ram Meghwal Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Vice President VP Dhankhar, former CJI Sanjiv Khanna, former President Ram Nath Kovind etc, were in the audience.

Upon succession as the 52nd CJI, Justice Gavai is the second CJI belonging to the Scheduled Caste community after Justice KG Balakrishnan retired as the CJI in 2010. He is also the first Buddhist judge to become the CJI of the Country.

All You Need To Know About Justice BR Gavai:

  • Justice BR Gavai was born on 24th November 1960 at Amravati.
  • He joined Bar on 16th March 1985 and worked with late Bar. Raja S. Bhonsale, former Advocate General and Judge of High Court, till 1987.
  • Practiced independently at Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990. After 1990, practiced mainly before Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court.
  • Practiced in Constitutional Law and Administrative Law.
  • Was Standing Counsel for Municipal Corporation of Nagpur, Amravati Municipal Corporation and Amravati University.
  • Appeared regularly for various autonomous bodies and Corporations like SICOM, DCVL etc. and various Municipal Councils in Vidarbha region.
  • Worked as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor in the High Court of Judicature at Bombay, Nagpur Bench, from August 1992 to July 1993.
  • Was appointed as Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor for Nagpur Bench on 17th January 2000. Was elevated as Additional Judge of the High Court on 14th November 2003.
  • Became a permanent Judge of the Bombay High Court on 12th November 2005.
  • Presided over Benches having all types of assignments at the Principal Seat at Mumbai as well as Benches at Nagpur, Aurangabad and Panaji.
  • Elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on 24th May 2019.

In the last six years, was a part of around 700 Benches dealing with matters pertaining to variety of subjects including constitutional and administrative law, civil law, criminal law, commercial disputes, arbitration law, electricity law, education matters, environmental law, etc.

Due to retire on 23rd November 2025.

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