Noor Anand Chawla

Why they matter: From visionary jurists to fearless advocates, and even the most judicious judges, India’s legal landscape is shaped by these constitutional savants. Journalist Noor Anand Chawla delves deep into the lives of those who balance the scales of justice.

Mukul Rohatgi

As a young student and aspiring lawyer, Mukul Rohatgi did not secure a seat at the University of Delhi’s prestigious Faculty of Law. He did, however, secure one in Mumbai’s Government Law College, which he calls a “boon in disguise” as it allowed him access to the inner workings of the Bombay High Court and a close look at the commercial aspect of law. His growth in the legal field, from then on, has been nothing short of phenomenal.

As the favoured representative of the Narendra Modi government, having served the country as its Attorney General, Rohatgi has become a household name. His close friendship with former minister, the Arun Jaitley, both of whom were part of the ‘Lodhi Garden Gang,’ is well known, as are his astute observations on the law, evident through his recent defence of Aryan Khan.

Brought in by the Gujarat government when they faced a number of lawsuits following the 2002 riots, and more recently by the SBI-led consortium of banks in their efforts to recover the money lost to Vijay Mallya, he’s the lawyer with all the answers. His desire to serve humanity also shines through in the number of pro-bono cases he takes on, without feeling the need to publicise them.

An avid reader led by his force of character, Rohatgi has set the benchmark for success in the legal field. He puts this down to his professionalism and conscientious work ethic, as he explains in an interview to NewsX, “There’s one thing every lawyer should understand: there’s no substitute of hard work to success.”

To see who else is on the list, grab the copy of HELLO! India’s August 2023 issue right here!