Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud

Early life and education

Chandrachud was born on 11 November 1959. His father Y. V. Chandrachud was the longest serving Chief Justice of India. His mother Prabha was a classical musician. After attending Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai and St. Columba's School, Delhi, Chandrachud graduated with honours in Economics and Mathematics from St. Stephen's College, New Delhi in 1979. Chandrachud aced the Honours' list of the University of Delhi in his final year. Chandrachud obtained his LL.B. degree from Delhi University in 1982 and an LL.M. degree from Harvard University on the prestigious Inlaks Scholarship in 1983. At Harvard, he received the Joseph H Beale prize. He also did his Doctorate of Juridical Sciences (S.J.D.), from Harvard University in 1986. His thesis was on Affirmative Action and considered the law in a comparative framework.

Career

Appointed Judge of the Supreme Court of India on 13 May 2016. Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court from 31 October 2013 until appointment to the Supreme Court. Judge of the Bombay High Court from 29 March 2000 until appointment as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. Director of Maharashtra Judicial Academy. Additional Solicitor General of India from 1998 until appointment as a Judge. Designated as Senior Advocate by the Bombay High Court in June 1998. Practised law at the Supreme Court of India and the Bombay High Court. Visiting Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law at the University of Mumbai. Visiting Professor at Oklahoma University School of Law, USA. Delivered lectures at the Australian National University, Harvard Law School, Yale Law School and the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. Speaker at conferences organised by bodies of the United Nations including United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, International Labour Organisation and United Nations Environmental Program, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

Some of Chandrachud's prominent judgments are in the areas of constitutional law and the protection of human rights. Chandrachud has authored several articles on human rights. He has recently co edited a book titled " A Heritage of Judging - the Bombay High Court through One Hundred and Fifty Years " to mark the sesquicentennial of the High Court. His recent contribution in the landmark judgement of nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court declaring Right to Privacy as Fundamental Right is invaluable and historical in itself. He also overruled the judgement of infamous ADM Jabalpur vs Shrikant Shukla case better known as Habeas Corpus case of emergency period. Interestingly, his father Justice Y.V. Chandrachud was the part of five-judge bench in ADM Jabalpur case whose judgement he overruled.