Page 2 - sands of time

2 SANDS OF TIME VOL. XVI, ISSUE 3, 2020

NANI A. PAlkhIvAlA - ThE MAN Of All sEAsONs...

This is how destiny played a role in his life in bringing
him to the world of law and public life.

Entry to the Bar and Prominent Cases

Palkhivala started his legal practice in the Chambers
of the legendary Sir Jamshed Kanga in Bombay in
1944. He quickly gained a reputation as an eloquent
and articulate barrister, often being the center of
attention in the court. Students of law and younger
members of the Bar Association would flock to watch
FROM THE
him. His excellent court craft and his extraordinary
ability to recall barely known facts rendered him as an
irresistible force.
Palkhivala’s first participation in a case of constitutional

significance occurred in 1951, where he served
Nargesh and Nani Palkhivala. as junior counsel in the case Nusserwanji Balsara
COLLECTION
Palkhivala was very studious. In the Matriculation he vs. State of Bombay, assisting the esteemed Sir
passed among the first fifty and stood first in English. Noshirwan Engineer in challenging several provisions
After matriculation he attended St. Xavier’s College, of the Bombay Prohibition Act. Before the year ended,
Bombay and completed his MA with Honours in Palkhivala was arguing cases himself. However, his first
English in 1942. case of constitutional importance, a challenge on the
validity of Land Requisition Acts, was lost before the
her law degree, she never practiced, but remained a THE
OF
He met Nargesh Matbar as a student at St. Xavier’s
Bombay High Court.
College and married her in 1945. Although she did
devoted life partner, assisting him in his endeavours By 1954, barely ten years after his admission to the
bar, Palkhivala was arguing before the Supreme Court.
and shouldering the responsibilities of the household It was in his first case before this court concerning
where her hospitality was legendary. the rights of religious minorities that he articulated
TATA CENTRAL ARCHIVES
Since his first love was literature, Palkhivala had his famous statements on the inviolate nature of the
applied for a Lecturer’s post at Bombay University. Constitution.
However, he lost the post to a lady as he did not have From then on there was no looking back... Nani
her teaching experience. Palkhivala argued a number of historical cases in India

After his MA, his father wanted him to be a lawyer but and abroad.
Palkhivala aspired for the ICS. The final examination
was to be held in Delhi but because of the epidemic
that broke out there, his family dissuaded him from
applying. Later on to his misfortune, the government
shifted the venue from Delhi to Bombay owing to
that very epidemic. He then enrolled at Government
Law College, Bombay. He stood First Class First in
the First LL.B. Examination in 1943 and in the Second
LL.B. Examination in 1944 from the Government
Law College. He passed the Advocate (Original Side)
Examination of the Bombay High Court in 1946, Leaving the Supreme Court. From L to R: Ravinder Narain,
standing first in every individual paper. Tehmton R. Andhyarujina, Nani Palkhivala and Jim Dadachanji.

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