CJI Honours Legal Educationist Madhava Menon, Presents Memorial Award to Attorney General
The award recognises Attorney General R Venkataramani’s distinguished legal career and the enduring influence of his mentor, Prof N R Madhava Menon.
KOCHI, Oct 31: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday paid tribute to eminent legal educationist Prof N R Madhava Menon and presented the second Memorial ‘Tribute of Honour’ Award, instituted in his memory, to Attorney General of India R Venkataramani.
The ceremony, held at a hotel in Kochi, was attended by Kerala High Court Chief Justice Soumen Sen.
Addressing the gathering, Kant highlighted Menon’s transformative role in legal education and his contribution to building institutions that have shaped generations of legal professionals.
Menon founded the National Law School of India University in Bengaluru in 1986 and introduced the five-year integrated LLB programme, bringing significant changes to legal education in India. He later established the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences in Kolkata and the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal.
Emphasising Menon’s philosophy, the CJI said legal education should serve as a means of social transformation rather than merely prepare students for professional practice. He also recalled the educationist’s commitment to legal aid and his belief that the needs of disadvantaged communities must remain central to the justice system.
Kant noted that Menon had begun his legal career as an advocate at the Kerala High Court before gaining national recognition for his work in legal education. Even in his later years in Keralam, he remained actively involved in the legal fraternity by supporting continuing education programmes for advocates.
Speaking about Venkataramani, the CJI recalled that he had joined Government Law College in Pondicherry in 1974, the same year Menon became its principal. Their association developed into a lasting mentor-student relationship, with Venkataramani carrying his teacher’s principles throughout his nearly five-decade career at the Bar.
The Attorney General has appeared before the Supreme Court in matters involving constitutional law, environmental protection, taxation, tribal rights, and the rights of women and children.
Kant also praised Venkataramani’s conduct as the Union government’s chief legal adviser, describing his approach to the office as measured, principled and courteous.
The CJI said the recognition extended beyond an individual achievement, reflecting the lasting influence of Menon’s work through the institutions he established and the students he mentored.
“Our truest monuments are not made of stone. They are the minds we shape and the institutions we leave behind,” he said.
