Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai has been sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on May 14, 2025. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Justice Gavai succeeds Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who retired on May 13, 2025. He will remain in office until November 23, 2025.

Justice Gavai's appointment marks a historic moment as he is the first Buddhist to hold the position of Chief Justice of India and the second Dalit, following Justice K. G. Balakrishnan. His elevation is seen as a significant step towards inclusivity in India's judiciary.

Born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Maharashtra, Justice Gavai comes from a family with a strong political and social background. His father, R.S. Gavai, was a prominent Ambedkarite leader, a former Governor of Bihar, and led a faction of the Republican Party of India. Justice Gavai's early life was marked by humble conditions; he attended a Marathi-medium municipal school with minimal infrastructure. He initially had an interest in politics but later pursued degrees in commerce and law from Amravati University.

Justice Gavai began his legal career on March 16, 1985. He practiced with Bar. Raja S. Bhonsale, a former Advocate General and Judge of the High Court. From 1987 to 1990, he practiced independently at the Bombay High Court. After 1990, he primarily practiced before the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court. His expertise lies in Constitutional and Administrative Law. He served as Standing Counsel for various institutions, including the Municipal Corporation of Nagpur, Amravati Municipal Corporation, and Amravati University. He also served as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court. On January 17, 2000, he was appointed Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor for the Nagpur Bench.

Justice Gavai 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 as a Judge in the Bombay High Court for 16 years. He was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on May 24, 2019.

Throughout his career, Justice Gavai has been part of several Constitution Benches that delivered landmark rulings. He has authored approximately 300 judgments, addressing a wide array of subjects, including constitutional law, criminal matters, commercial litigation, and environmental issues. His judgments often reflect his commitment to constitutional equity. As a Supreme Court judge, he was involved in impactful decisions such as upholding the abrogation of Article 370 and striking down the electoral bonds scheme. He was also part of the bench that held that states have the right to sub-classify Scheduled Castes to provide more preferential treatment.

Justice Gavai's tenure as Chief Justice is expected to see important hearings in challenges to the Places of Worship Act and the Waqf (Amendment) Act of 2025. He is known as a bold and decisive judge who speaks his mind.

Following his swearing-in ceremony, Justice Gavai touched his mother's feet, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted her. He is expected to convene a meeting of all judges to discuss the way forward and share his vision.