Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who became the 51st Chief Justice of India on Monday, is trying to find his family’s old house in Amritsar. His grandfather, Sarav Dayal, built the house before India pre-independence. The house is very special to Justice Khanna because it holds many important memories for him.

Sarav Dayal was an important lawyer and was part of the Congress committee that worked on the issue of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919. During this time, he bought two houses: one in Amritsar, near Jallianwala Bagh, and another in Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh. The Amritsar house is very special to Justice Khanna, and whenever he visits the city, he always tries to visit the area, even though it has changed a lot over the years.

In 1947, during India’s independence, the house in Amritsar was set on fire, but Sarav Dayal, Justice Khanna's grandfather, later repaired it. When Justice Khanna was five years old, he visited the house with his father. During that visit, he saw a sign that said “Bauji,” which means “Grandfather.” This sign is now kept in the family home in Dalhousie. After his grandfather passed away in 1970, the Amritsar house was sold.

Justice Khanna, aged 64, was sworn in as the Chief Justice of India by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday. He succeeds Justice DY Chandrachud, whose tenure ended on Friday. Justice Khanna will hold the position of CJI for six months, retiring on May 13, 2025. He has been involved in several landmark Supreme Court judgements, including the cancellation of the electoral bonds scheme and upholding the abrogation of Article 370.

Who is Justice Sanjiv Khanna?

Justice Sanjiv Khanna was born on May 14, 1960, and is currently the 51st Chief Justice of India. He also holds important positions like the head of the National Legal Services Authority and the Chancellor of the National Law School of India University. Before becoming the Chief Justice, he worked as a judge at the Delhi High Court. On October 17, 2024, Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud recommended Justice Khanna to become the next Chief Justice, which is usual practice.