{"id":400129,"date":"2026-10-30T18:15:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T12:45:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/?p=400129"},"modified":"2026-10-30T18:26:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T12:56:44","slug":"know-thy-judge-justice-bv-nagarathna-the-arc-moving-toward-a-first-woman-cji-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/10\/30\/know-thy-judge-justice-bv-nagarathna-the-arc-moving-toward-a-first-woman-cji-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Know Thy Judge | Justice BV Nagarathna: The Arc Moving Toward a First Woman CJI"},"content":{"rendered":"
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“Our country India, or Bharat, is not just a piece in history or geography. It is a nation of over a billion people with over a billion dreams. I have often wondered what binds us together despite the innumerable diversities. It is my firm conviction that one of the binding factors is the Indian Constitution — a legal system committed to rule of law and an organized hierarchy of courts with a Supreme Court at the apex.”<\/p>\n

— Justice B.V. Nagarathna1<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Early Life and Education2<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Justice Bangalore Venkataramiah Nagarathna was born on 30 October 1962 and is currently serving in the Supreme Court of India. She is the daughter of the late Chief Justice of India, Justice E. S. Venkataramiah.<\/p>\n

She attended the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in New Delhi for her formal education. She graduated from Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi, with a B.A. in history in 1984. Later, she went on to the Campus Law Center, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, where she obtained a law degree in 1987.<\/p>\n

Did You know?<\/span> Justice E.S. Venkataramiah, Justice Nagarathna’s father, served as India’s 19th Chief Justice. He was appointed on 19 June 1989, and he served until retirement on December 17 December 1989.<\/p>\n

Career Trajectory 3<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Justice Nagarathna became a member of the Karnataka Bar Council on 28 October 1987 and worked as a constitutional and commercial lawyer in Bangalore, including insurance law, service law, administrative and public law, law pertaining to land and rent laws, family law, conveyancing & drafting of contracts and agreements, arbitration and conciliation until being chosen on 18 February 2008, to serve as an Additional Judge on the Karnataka High Court.<\/p>\n

Justice Nagarathna was appointed as Additional Judge of the Karnataka High Court on 18 February 2008. On 17 February 2010, she was elevated to serve as a Permanent Judge.<\/p>\n

Several commentators noted that Justice Nagarathna’s potential nomination to the Supreme Court of India in May 2020 would put her in the race to become the first female Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. She was appointed to the Supreme Court on 26 August 2021 and took the oath of office on 31 August 2021.<\/p>\n

During Justice BV Nagarathna’s tenure as a Judge in Karnataka High Court from 18 February 2008 till 30 August 2021, she maintained a wide and impressive track record of disposing many cases-<\/p>\n