Gopal Ballav Pattanaik facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gopal Ballav Pattanaik
Pattanaik giving a speech in 2018
32nd Chief Justice of India
In office 8 November 2002 – 18 December 2002
Appointed by	A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Preceded by	Bhupinder Nath Kirpal
Succeeded by	Vishweshwar Nath Khare
Judge of Supreme Court of India
In office 11 September 1995 – 7 November 2002
Nominated by	Aziz Mushabber Ahmadi
Appointed by	Shankar Dayal Sharma
27th Chief Justice of Patna High Court
In office 19 May 1995 – 10 September 1995
Nominated by	Aziz Mushabber Ahmadi
Appointed by	Shankar Dayal Sharma
Preceded by	Konduswami Venkataswamy
Succeeded by	Devinder Pratap Wadhwa
Judge of Orissa High Court
In office 1 June 1983 – 18 May 1995
Nominated by	Yeshwant Vishnu Chandrachud
Appointed by	Zail Singh
Personal details
Born	(1937-12-19) 19 December 1937 (age 87) Cuttack, Odisha, India
Citizenship	Indian
Occupation	Jurist
Awards	Utkal Ratna 2021

Gopal Ballav Pattanaik was born on December 19, 1937. He is a very important Indian lawyer and judge. He worked in the legal system for over 19 years.

He served as a judge in the Odisha High Court and later became the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. He also served as a judge in the highest court, the Supreme Court of India. In 2002, he became the 32nd Chief Justice of India. This is the top judicial position in the country.

Pattanaik grew up in Cuttack, Odisha. He studied science at Ravenshaw College and Ewing Christian College, Allahabad University. Later, he earned his law degree from Madhusudan Law College in Cuttack.

In 2002, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who was the President of India, appointed Pattanaik as the Chief Justice of India. Justice Pattanaik was part of a group that created a special code of conduct for judges. This code helps judges of the High Courts and Supreme Court act ethically. It was adopted in 1997 and is still a guide for judges today.

Early Life and Education

Gopal Ballav Pattanaik was born on December 19, 1937. His birthplace was the city of Cuttack in Odisha, India.

He attended Ravenshaw College in Cuttack. He then studied science at Ewing Christian College, Allahabad University. After that, he earned his law degree from Madhusudan Law College, which is part of Utkal University in Odisha.

A Career in Law

Starting as a Lawyer

In 1962, Pattanaik became a lawyer in the Orissa High Court. He handled many different types of cases there. These included cases about civil law, criminal law, and the country's constitution. He also worked on cases in the Supreme Court of India.

He was the first person in his family to become a lawyer. Other lawyers, like Bimal Pal and Birendra Mohan Patnaik, encouraged him to join the legal profession.

Becoming a Judge

In 1971, he was chosen to be a Standing Counsel for the Government of Odisha. This meant he represented the state government in legal matters. He later became an Additional Government Advocate in 1974.

In 1983, he was appointed as a permanent judge in the Orissa High Court. Then, in 1995, he became the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. After a short time there, he was promoted to a judge of the Supreme Court of India. On November 8, 2002, he reached the highest judicial position. He became the 32nd Chief Justice of India.

When Justice Pattanaik became Chief Justice, his term was quite short. However, he started an important new way to handle complaints against judges. This was called the 'in-house procedure'. It helped ensure that judges followed ethical rules.

Important Decisions

Justice Pattanaik made several important decisions during his time as a judge. Some of these well-known judgments include:

• Cases related to the Narmada Dam Project.
• A decision that stopped the government from allowing certain ceremonies at the Babri masjid site in Ayodhya.
• A Contempt of court case involving the writer Arundhati Roy.
• He helped clear the names of many people from a minority community in cases about the Bombay riots.
• A constitutional case about educational institutions for minority groups.
• In a significant case called Daniel Latifi v. Union of India (2001), he led a group of judges. They decided that a Muslim husband must provide financial support to his divorced wife beyond a short period. This decision greatly improved the rights of Muslim women in India.

During his time in the Supreme Court, Justice Pattanaik wrote 420 judgments. He also sat on 3,128 different groups of judges hearing cases.

International Connections

Justice Pattanaik was part of special programs that connected judges from India with those in the UK and the US. He visited both countries. He took part in workshops and seminars with judges from the House of Lords in Britain. He also met with judges from the Supreme Court of the United States.

He worked with important US Supreme Court judges like Chief Justice William Rehnquist and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Justice O'Connor was the first woman judge on the US Supreme Court.

Leading Legal Organizations

Justice Pattanaik has held several important leadership roles. He was the Chairperson of the National Judicial Academy of India. This academy helps train judges. He also served as the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA). NALSA helps provide legal aid to people who cannot afford it.

He was also the President of the Association of Retired Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts of India. For many years, he led the selection committee for the "Saraswati Samman." This is a very respected award for Indian literature.

Awards and Recognition

Justice Pattanaik has received several honors for his work. Utkal University gave him an honorary doctorate degree in law (LLD).

In 2021, he received the prestigious Utkal Ratna award. This award recognized his lifelong achievements in the field of Law and Justice.

He has also written two books about his life. One is called “The Gown and the Gavel: Life Journey of a Former Chief Justice of India” in English. The other is titled “Mane Achi Jeteki” (What I Remember) in his native Odiya.