On 21-01-2026, Mr. Sumant Batra, Insolvency Lawyer and President of Insolvency Law Academy, launched his book titled “The Life and Legacy of Arun Jaitley,” wherein he chronicled the journey of the late Mr. Arun Jaitley, Former Finance Minister, from a student activist to a powerful voice in Indian politics.
The book launch event was graced by distinguished luminaries namely, Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu, Former Vice President of India; Justice A.K. Sikri, Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India and Judge, Singapore International Commercial Court; Mr. Amitabh Kant, Ex-G 20 Sherpa, Government of India and Ex-CEO NITI Aayog; Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, Senior Advocate and Former Attorney General of India; and Dr. A.M. Singhvi, Member of Parliament and Senior Advocate.
The event began with a welcome address and brief introduction by Mr. Ajay Mago, the publisher, who explained that the book captures the life and legacy of a man who combined intellectual brilliance with rare political grace. The book brings alive not only his public achievements but also the warmth, wit, and personal grace that defined him as a human being.
Thereafter, the book was launched by Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu, Former Vice President of India, all the esteemed panellists, and the family members of Mr Jaitley.
The book launch was followed by an insightful address by Justice A.K. Sikri, who reminisced about his personal connection and bond with Mr. Jaitley as a friend as well as fellow college student and lawyer. He remarked that Mr. Jaitley was a charismatic man who was a rare combination of knowledge, wisdom, and intelligence.
Justice Sikri underscored that Mr. Jaitley was a student leader who enraptured the masses with his words. He was an ace debater, an active student politician, and a brilliant student with inspirational time management skills and commendable determination.
Illustrating Mr. Jaitley’s kindness, Justice Sikri explained how he was the first senior advocate to use the 10% clerkage fees that he received from his clients for the clerks and other staff. He made a separate bank account which acted as a welfare fund for his staff who could use that money for building their homes and sending their children to good educational institutions.
Justice Sikri also recounted that Mr. Jaitley could spot truly meritorious people and offer them the requisite mentorship. He aided those who deserved advancement, irrespective of personal closeness. Lastly, Justice Sikri remarked that Mr. Jaitley was a true nationalist as he truly wanted India to prosper and actively helped those who he believed would be assets for India’s growth.
“He is one person who will not be forgotten not only by his family, not only by his friends, not only by his country, but anywhere in the world over.”
Taking over from Justice Sikri, Mr. Amitabh Kant recounted his first encounter with Mr. Jaitley, wherein he was delivering a speech as the President of the Delhi University Students Union, and he was enamoured by the speech. Mr. Kant further mentioned how Mr. Jaitley once helped him when he was in legal trouble with the Kerala Government and offered him the opportunity to join the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
He also underscored the crucial role of Mr. Jaitley in formulating and enforcing the Goods and Services Tax (“GST”) Act, 2017, and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (“IBC”), 2016. He remarked that, “The real skill of this great man was his ability to straddle all world politics, cut across political lines, and his ability to win hearts and minds of people, and his ability to draft laws was unparalleled. Without him, GST and IBC laws would have never been passed.”
Reminiscing about his encounter with Mr. Jaitley in Davos, Mr. Kant complimented Mr Jaitley’s encyclopaedic knowledge of Indian cuisine, including the diverse regional cuisines and gastronomy. He also added that Mr. Jaitley was the godfather of civil servants as he would care for and protect all his officers.
“He was a statesman, one of the greatest parliamentarians India has produced, a lawyer par excellence, but more than anything a great human being of great qualities of head and heart.”
Lastly, Mr. Kant endorsed the book as remarkable and heartfelt.
Speaking from the perspective of a long-time friend, Mr. Mukul Rohatgi fondly recounted his friendship with Mr. Jaitley, from family trips to Gulmarg and Saturday lunches to modest holidays in Goa and personal anecdotes. He illustrated how Mr. Jaitley would have the most people sitting on his table in the canteen of the Delhi High Court, as he was a great storyteller who attracted people with his knowledge and words.
Mr. Rohtagi added that Mr. Jaitley had an elephant-like memory as he would remember obscure details about songs and movies, but had atrocious handwriting, which hindered his ability to write cheques. He was also a great host, as he would call over people for dinner in the evenings, and his wife would always have food prepared for everyone.
“All I can say is that he went away too early. But you know there is a saying that whom the gods love, go early.”
Mr. Rohtagi concluded his heartfelt address by appreciating Mr. Batra’s stupendous efforts in writing this book about Mr Jaitley’s life.
After Mr. Rohatgi, Dr. A.M. Singhvi addressed the gathering, highlighting Mr. Jaitley’s legal brilliance, communication skills, and humane character.
Dr. Singhvi described Mr. Jaitley as a great communicator, an effective lawyer, and a pleasant public face, whose work reflected wit, intellect, expertise, and temperament. He recalled early legal encounters and shared anecdotes that illustrated Jaitley’s mastery in law, his meticulous preparation, and his ability to engage across complex legal and parliamentary matters.
“We have lost a good man in public life, a decent human being, a respected and able lawyer, a witty thinker, a lifelong student of politics, a remarkable communicator, and a committed pillar of his party and a close friend to many.”
He highlighted Mr. Jaitley’s improvisational skill, command over issues, and clarity in presenting complex matters, noting instances of impromptu speeches and debates in Parliament, including sensitive and challenging topics. Dr. Singhvi emphasised that Mr. Jaitley conducted debates in a gentlemanly manner, maintaining civility even during intense political disagreements.
Dr. Singhvi further underscored Mr. Jaitley’s lifelong commitment to politics, his role as a pillar of his party, and his humane temperament, describing him as a respected lawyer, witty thinker, remarkable communicator, and a good man in public life, whose memory continued to inspire colleagues and younger generations.
In his chief guest’s address, Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu delivered an insightful speech on Mr. Jaitley’s life and accomplishments.
Mr. Naidu described Mr. Jaitley as a leader with vision, a brilliant lawyer, an articulate parliamentarian, and a reformer endowed with exceptional foresight. He highlighted Mr. Jaitley’s remarkable ability to simplify complex economic, constitutional, and political issues without diluting their essence, making him a central figure in policy formulation and decision-making. His articulation and persuasion skills were widely sought, enabling him to build consensus on challenging matters and contribute effectively as a master strategist, Finance Minister, and a voice of the opposition.
“Arun Jaitley is a person with character, caliber, capacity and conduct, which are very much required for a politician or for a public person.”
Mr. Naidu further observed that Mr. Jaitley commanded respect across ideological lines, serving as a bridge between diverse perspectives and playing a key role in negotiation and consensus-building, particularly in major legislative reforms such as the GST Act. He deeply valued institutions and believed in the principle of agreeing to disagree without delegating constitutional authority, an approach in public life that is increasingly rare.
“As a distinguished lawyer, a respected party leader, and an administrator, he combined eloquence with depth, wit with dignity and conviction with grace.”
Vote of Thanks by Mr. Sumant Batra, Author
Closing the series of addresses, Mr. Sumant Batra described Mr. Jaitley as a figure widely regarded as an institution, whose life and work carried the weight of great responsibility in their documentation. He emphasised that Mr. Jaitley was closely associated with, and instrumental in, several defining moments in public life and governance.
“Writing on Arun Jaitley comes with a great amount of responsibility because he is known to us as an institution.”
The book traces Mr. Jaitley’s journey from his early entry into public life to his emergence as one of the most powerful public figures in recent Indian politics. It highlights his pivotal role in shaping legal thought, parliamentary practice, and national policy.
Mr. Batra underscored that the book presents Mr. Jaitley’s contributions with passion yet maintains a dispassionate tone to ensure fairness and objectivity. It chronicles his intellectual clarity, institutional impact, and leadership across diverse spheres.
The work offers a comprehensive insight into the many dimensions of Mr. Jaitley’s public life and the responsibilities he bore as a committed pillar of his party, an accomplished lawyer, a remarkable communicator, and a lifelong student of politics.
In conclusion, Mr. Batra thanked everyone who contributed to the making of this book, his team, his family, the guests and the esteemed panellists.
*Authored by Sonali Ahuja, Legal Editor and Soumya Yadav, Legal Editor