19-1-2023

Justice Shivaraj V. Patil, Former Judge, Supreme Court and myself had a cordial meeting at his residence recently. 

He has written his autobiography both in Kannada and in English. Both the books will be released on this Sunday (21-1-2024) in the Chowdaiah Memorial Hall. I have attached the invitation. Justice M.N. Venkatachalaiah, Former Chief Justice of Supreme Court, will preside over the function and Justice R.F. Nariman, Former Judge, Supreme Court will address the gathering as the Chief Guest.

Many judges across the country will be attending. Some may come from the Supreme Court also. 

I have contributed an article “A Life Journey of a Village Boy to the Greater Heights of Judiciary in the Nation!(By Bullock Cart to Supreme Court)” as a prelude to his book. I took several "adjournments" from him to write this article. Though he had personally made a request 5 months back when I returned from Germany, I could write it 20 days back only when the book was going to the press for printing. A few paras of my prelude appear on its cover page also:

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them". This is a very meaningful quote from the Shakespeare’s drama Twelfth Night. The real greatness of a person lies neither in the first nor in the last category but in the mid-category. If you read this autobiography of the Justice Shivaraj V Patil, he falls into the middle category. He has achieved greatness not by birth/position but by hard work and determination while experiencing poverty and sufferings in his childhood days.

Generally, Judges are not litterateurs. They care about finding the truth and not about the style of writing their judgements. During our conversation, I was amazed by the artistic mind of Justice Shivaraj Patil in suggesting to the designer that the cover page of this book could include two images – the bullock cart at the bottom and the edifice of the Supreme Court of India on the top. They both figuratively cover his life achievements that a poor village boy who went to school seated in a bullock cart could rise to the level of becoming an esteemed Judge seated in the Apex Court of India! The entire contents of his autobiography are covered by these two images at a glance!

-Sri Taralabalu Jagadguru
Dr Shivamurthy Shivacharya Mahaswamiji