Historic Oath: Justice B R Gavai Becomes First Buddhist Chief Justice of India

Justice B R Gavai made history by being sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India, becoming the first Buddhist to assume the role. The oath-taking ceremony was conducted on Wednesday at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and supervised by President Droupadi Murmu. The event was graced by several prominent government officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

The ceremony also witnessed the presence of notable personalities like Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, former President Ram Nath Kovind, and a host of current and retired judiciary members. Justice Gavai succeeds Sanjiv Khanna, with his tenure slated to last about six months following his predecessor's retirement. Remarkably, Justice Gavai is only the second Chief Justice from the Scheduled Caste community, with his tenure ending in November 2025.

His journey in the judiciary began on March 16, 1985, in Amravati. He then served at various capacities, including as Assistant Government Pleader and later as an Additional Judge at the Bombay High Court. On May 24, 2019, he was appointed as a Supreme Court Judge and is scheduled to retire on November 23, 2025, marking an illustrious end to his legal career.

(With inputs from agencies.)