India witnessed a historic moment in its judicial calendar as Justice Surya Kant took oath on Monday, November 24, 2025, as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI). While the appointment of a new CJI is a customary transition of leadership in the Supreme Court, this swearing-in drew unprecedented global attention. For the first time ever, Chief Justices and judges from six foreign countries, along with their family members, were present at Rashtrapati Bhavan during the ceremony. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office and secrecy to Justice Surya Kant. The tenure of the outgoing Chief Justice, B.R. Gavai, ended on Sunday.
According to a report by Bar & Bench, more than a dozen international judicial dignitaries participated in the ceremony. Such a large foreign representation at the swearing-in of an Indian Chief Justice had never occurred before. This remarkable diplomatic gesture reflected the growing international engagement of India’s judiciary and the rising respect for the country’s legal institutions worldwide.
The visiting delegations included Chief Justices, Supreme Court judges, and their family members from Nepal, Bhutan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. From Nepal, the attending dignitaries include Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut; Supreme Court Judge Sapana Pradhan Malla; her husband Ashok Bahadur Malla; former Supreme Court Judge and current minister Anil Kumar Sinha; and his wife Ursula Sinha. Bhutan was represented by its Chief Justice Lyonpo Norbu Tshering and his wife Lhaden Lote.
From Kenya, Chief Justice Martha Koome, who also serves as the President of the Kenyan Supreme Court, was present along with Supreme Court Judge Susan Njoroge Ndung’u. Malaysia’s judicial representation included Federal Court Judge Tan Sri Datuk Nalini Pathmanathan and her husband Pashupati Shivapragasam. From Mauritius, Chief Justice Bibi Rehana Mungly Gulbul attended the ceremony accompanied by her daughter Rebecca Hanna Bibi Gulbul.
Sri Lanka had the largest delegation among the six nations. The attendees from the island nation included Chief Justice P. Padman Surasena and his wife Sepalika Surasena; Supreme Court Judge S. Thurairaja and his wife Shashikala Thurairaja; and Supreme Court Judge Ahmed Nawaz along with his wife Rizaan Dalip Nawaz. The presence of such a wide spectrum of international judicial leadership marked a milestone in India’s judicial outreach.
Justice Surya Kant, who assumed the top position, is currently the senior-most Supreme Court judge after Chief Justice Gavai. Born on February 10, 1962, into a middle-class family in Haryana’s Hisar district, he has followed a distinguished academic and legal journey. He completed his graduation in 1981 from Government Post Graduate College in Hisar and obtained his law degree in 1984 from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak. Soon after graduating, he began practising law at the Hisar District Court.
His judicial career continued to rise steadily over the decades. Justice Surya Kant served as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court before being elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019. Now, as he took charge as the 53rd Chief Justice of India, the milestone event is being seen as the beginning of a new chapter for the Supreme Court — one that has captured international attention even before his term officially begins.
