When Justice Surya Kant steps into Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday morning (November 24), it will be more than a ceremonial change at the apex court. It will be a symbolic passing of the torch attended by foreign judicial leaders, old colleagues from Punjab and Haryana, and a family that saw him rise from a modest village, Petwar in Hisar, to India’s highest judicial office.
His appointment marks a first—he will be the first jurist from Haryana to lead the highest court of the country.
Born in Petwar, Hisar, Haryana, Justice Surya Kant’s legal career took off in the Punjab & Haryana High Court, where he served as a judge from 2004 to 2018. Later, he served as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court before being elevated to the Supreme Court in May 2019.
International judicial presence at the oath ceremony
What makes his swearing-in particularly notable is the likely presence of a large international delegation of judges and chief justices from seven countries, underscoring India’s growing judicial diplomacy and the symbolic weight of his appointment.
The confirmed foreign guests include Bhutan: Justice Lyonpo Norbu Tshering, Chief Justice, and his spouse Lhaden Lotay. Kenya: Justice Martha Koome, Chief Justice and President of Kenya’s Supreme Court and Justice Susan Njoki Ndungu, Judge of the Kenyan Supreme Court. Malaysia: Justice Tan Sri Datuk Nalini Pathmanathan of the Federal Court, along with her spouse Pasupathy Sivapragasam. Mauritius: Justice Bibi Rehana Mungly-Gulbul, Chief Justice, and her daughter Rebecca Hanna Bibi Gulbul. Nepal: Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut; Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla, a Supreme Court judge; her spouse Ashok Bahadur Malla; and former Supreme Court judge Anil Kumar Sinha (now Law Minister), with his spouse Ursila Sinha. Sri Lanka: Chief Justice P. Padman Surasena and his spouse Sepalika; Justice S. Thurairaja with spouse Sasikala Thurairaja; and Justice A. H. M. D. Nawaz along with his spouse Rizan Mohamed Dhlip Nawaz. Chief Justice of Brazil Herman De Vasconcellos Benjamin will also attend the event.
According to highly placed sources, never before has such a wide and high-level judicial delegation gathered for the swearing-in of an Indian CJI.
Justice Surya Kant’s roots in the Punjab & Haryana High Court Bar remain central to his identity. Ahead of the ceremony, he visited the P&H High Court Bar personally to thank his former colleagues, mentors, and the legal community that helped shape his career.
Given space constraints at Rashtrapati Bhavan, special arrangements have been made for the members of the P&H High Court Bar to watch the oath-taking via live streaming in the newly built Supreme Court Auditorium. The organisers are also facilitating vehicle entry and breakfast for them, reflecting the deeply personal connection he maintains with his home legal community.
From his birthplace in Hisar, 136 advocates from the local district bar association have also been invited to the ceremony. Several of his family members, including siblings, are expected to attend, adding a personal touch to what is both a professional milestone and a homecoming.
The scale and diversity of the overseas judicial presence are being read as an overt symbol of India’s expanding judicial outreach and institutional maturity.
For Justice Surya Kant, the ceremony is more than just formal protocol; it is an affirmation of his journey from the dusty corridors of the Punjab & Haryana High Court Bar to the world stage, now culminating in his role as the country’s top judge. As he prepares to lead, his first days are expected to focus on institutional reforms, strengthening judicial capacity, and fostering international legal cooperation.
