President Droupadi Murmu hosted a dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday, May 26, 2025, to honor Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, the newly appointed 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI). The event was a distinguished gathering of India's top leadership, judicial luminaries, and other notable figures.
Among the prominent attendees were Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law & Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal. Former CJI Sanjiv Khanna, current Supreme Court judges, Chief Justices from various High Courts, and other esteemed guests also graced the occasion, underscoring the significance of Justice Gavai's assumption of the nation's highest judicial office.
President Murmu shared details and photographs of the event via the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Justice Gavai was sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on May 14, 2025, succeeding CJI Sanjiv Khanna, who retired on May 13. President Murmu administered the oath of office and secrecy during a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Justice Gavai is the first Buddhist to hold the position of Chief Justice of India and the second CJI belonging to the Scheduled Caste community, following Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, who retired in 2010.
Born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Maharashtra, Justice Gavai comes from a family deeply rooted in Ambedkarite principles. His father, R.S. Gavai, was a prominent leader of the Republican Party of India and held significant positions, including being a former Governor of Bihar.
Justice Gavai began his legal career on March 16, 1985, working with the late Raja S. Bhonsale, a former Advocate General and High Court judge. He practiced independently in the Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990 and primarily managed cases at the Nagpur Bench thereafter. He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14, 2003, and became a permanent judge in 2005. During his tenure at the High Court, he served at its principal seat in Mumbai and benches in Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji. He was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019.
Throughout his six-year tenure as a Supreme Court judge, Justice Gavai has been part of nearly 700 benches and has delivered several significant judgments, including key Constitution Bench rulings on fundamental rights and human rights. He was also part of the bench that upheld the Centre's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370, which bestowed special status on Jammu and Kashmir.
Justice Gavai has also represented India at international conferences in cities such as Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), New York (USA), Cardiff (UK), and Nairobi (Kenya). He has lectured on constitutional and environmental issues at prestigious institutions like Columbia University and Harvard University.
Outgoing CJI Sanjiv Khanna expressed strong confidence in Justice Gavai, stating that he would prove to be an “excellent Chief Justice,” dedicated to upholding the institution, fundamental rights, and the basic doctrines of law. Justice Gavai is set to demit office on December 23, 2025, upon reaching the age of 65.
