The single-most influential and already in-his-lifetime legendary figure in Indian legal education, Prof NR Madhava Menon, has passed away last night, after having been diagnosed with liver cancer several months ago.
He was 84.
Menon has perhaps single-handedly done more for the modern Indian legal profession than nearly any other Indian lawyer, having founded NLSIU Bangalore, National Judicial Academy Bhopal and NUJS Kolkata, and having inspired and encouraged thousands of lawyers.
Born on 4 May 1935 in Kerala, Menon began his career studying a BSc in Zoology in 1953, continuing to complete law at Government Law College Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram between 1953 and 1955, and then practised as a lawyer before the Kerala high court.
He took a job at the Central Secretariat in Delhi after passing his civil services exam, then secured an MA from Punjab University via its Delhi campus, and completed his LLM and PhD from Aligarh Muslim University by 1965, also becoming warden at a hostel there and joining as a professor in 1968.
By 1986, Menon had set up India’s first national law school, NLSIU Bangalore, which he headed up for 12 years to much acclaim. In 1998, implementing some of the lessons he had learned in Bangalore, he set up NUJS Kolkata and in 2003 he presided as the founder director over the National Judicial Academy Bhopal, until retiring in 2006.
Nevertheless, even after retirement, Menon continued to be a visionary and leader of the legal profession and particularly legal education as well as law and policy, setting up the educational charity, Menon Institute of Legal Advocacy Training (MILAT), which has been conducting continuing legal education (CLE) sessions throughout the country.
As we cited from his memoirs in our profile of Menon from 2009:
“Health is deteriorating and the body is asking to slow down activities,” he wrote. “Mind, on the other hand, seems to say that lot many things need to be done and can be done before one bids good bye to this wonderful, beautiful world.
“I am reminded of what Robert Frost had written many years ago:
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep.”
Accolades for Menon began pouring out late last night, particularly from NLSIU graduates.
Prof Shamnad Basheer tweeted:
What a huge loss for us! Prof Madhav Menon just passed away. A legal legend who pioneered the National Law School model and gave a fantastic face lift to legal education in India. Making it even more attractive than engineering and medicine!
Senior counsel and academic Menaka Guruswamy tweeted:
Dr NR Madhav Menon, founding director of the National Law School of India Bangalore, dedicated teacher, reformer of legal education passed away today. We, his students mourn his passing while celebrating his work and his life. #Drmenon Thank you sir, for all you did.
World Bank lead counsel Vikram Raghavan wrote on Facebook:
N. R. Madhava Menon. Founder director of the National Law School of India University, Bangalore. Doyen of Indian legal education. A model citizen whom India’s founders would be proud of. RIP.
Other tributes
The President of India tweeted:
Sorry to hear of the passing of Prof N.R. Madhava Menon, educationist, scholar and a pioneering spirit behind modern legal education in India, beginning with National Law School of India University, Bangalore. My condolences to his family and countless students #PresidentKovind
The governor of Kerala, former Chief Justice of India (CJI) P Sathasivam tweeted:
Deeply saddened by the demise of Prof. N R #MadhavaMenon, whose insightful ideas modernised legal education in India. As an authority in legal & constitutional matters, he used his limitless erudition to build world class institutions & to enlighten generations of students.
NITI Ayog member Bibek Debroy tweeted:
Have so many memories about Professor Menon. Had known him since 1993. Had the opportunity to work with him too.
To be updated.
threads most popular
thread most upvoted
comment newest
first oldest
first
We are complicit by looking the other way.
Also this seems more accurate,
"He got enrolled as an Advocate in Kerala High Court in 1956 at the early age of 20. Dr. Menon joined the faculty of Aligarh Muslim University in 1960; moved to Delhi University in 1965, became Professor and Head of the Campus Law Centre. During this period he served on deputation as Principal of Government Law College, Pondicherry and Secretary of the Bar Council of India Trust."
www.nls.ac.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511&Itemid=58
shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/57697
Quote:indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/madhava-menon-passes-away-the-lawyers-master-5717913/
He must reveal who these judges were. The NLU Student Consortium should also pass a resolution to this effect and seek academicians as judges (after the motivated Gogoi petition).
I am sorry for using such strong language, but I believe NUJS is insulting the great man's legacy by posting such a crude condolence message . I request the students to ask the college to remove it from the NUJS website and replaced with something more polished.
Links:
epaper.telegraphindia.com/imageview_268914_163755519_4_71_09-05-2019_12_i_1_sf.html
www.nujs.edu
sja.nujs.edu
Before piggybacking on Fali as an authority on Prof Menon, please read
www.outlookindia.com/blog/story/fali-s-nariman-vs-upendra-baxi-ors/2248
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/roving-i/fali-after-25-years-what/
www.thequint.com/news/india/supreme-betrayal-how-the-sc-failed-the-bhopal-disasters-victims (covers Soli Sorabjee as well, a name frequently and lovingly uttered by Prof Menon)
Of course Sorabjee would prefer that we stick to this narrative www.hindustantimes.com/world/sorabjee-turned-down-offer-to-be-carbide-lawyer/story-embtPmagyGgftX7LC1GzVI.html
Then again history can be potentially be defined as a set of agreed lies.
Although I am not suggesting a full-blown Bhopal Gas Leak discussion here, the luminary who negotiated the settlement has some interesting views on the settlement figure www.thehindu.com/opinion/interview/lsquoIt-was-not-a-case-it-was-a-tragedy-Nariman/article16270169.ece
I don't support the notion that animal lives are less valuable than humans but to put things in perspective it cost USD 80,000 to rehabilitate the oiled sea animals, such as otters after the Exxon Valdez spill www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/oil-spill/docs/arlis-exxon-valdez.pdf?noredirect=on
Now compare this figure and the other terms of settlement with that of the Bhopal case, which was supposedly done (as Fali Nariman would have us believe) at the behest of our ever so honourable Supreme Court judges and the shining jurists that illuminate us all with their Bran like greensight.
So next time we talk about jurists and human rights defenders aka as Nani, Fali, Anil et al let us also remember how histories were and are made, especially the renegade or non-hagiographic variety. Maybe with GoT prequel we will come to know that Night King isn't really the villain he was made out to be. The reverse may hold true for the new Gods we are herded to worship, especially when we decide to excavate, read and spread history differently. Applies for Prof Menon as well www.livelaw.in/national-law-universities-original-intent-real-founders/
NLSIU Bangalore, for example, was not a one-man project. The reformation in the Indian legal education system was conceptualised by Ram Jethmalani while he was the Chairman of the Bar Council of India (1970-75) (and perhaps a few others as well). The BCI formed the Legal Education Committee (LEC) under the Chairmanship of Jethmalani, and other prominent members including Justice Hidayatullah and Prof. Upendra Baxi. The LEC ideated the National Law School model and with the help of Ramakrishna Hegde, then CM of Karnataka, set up its campus in Bangalore.
Prof. Baxi was almost set to take the role of Director of NLS Bangalore, but couldn't after some issues with his involvement with Delhi University. It was only after that Prof. Menon was brought in.
Having said that, his contribution to the Indian legal education is irreplaceable. RIP.
threads most popular
thread most upvoted
comment newest
first oldest
first