Justice Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale, when invited to speak at an event to felicitate five judges who were past students of Raja Lakhamagouda Law College in Belagavi last August, spoke of how those considered “untouchables” had got an opportunity to join the mainstream due to the provisions of the Constitution. He described Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, as a “Prajna Surya”, the radiant sun of intellectualism.
“It is because of him that people like us who were denied a dignified life have become human beings with equal opportunities,’‘ said Justice Varale, who was born in Nippani in Belagavi district. He was felicitated by The Advocates’ Association, Bengaluru, on Saturday, on his recent elevation as the judge of the Supreme Court.
Back in 1934
Senior advocates in his home district Belagavi say that Justice Varale comes from a family with deep links with Dr. Ambedkar. His grandfather had accompanied Dr. Ambedkar during his visit to Chikkodi and Nippani when he arrived to fight a case in 1934.
Dr. Ambedkar influenced Justice Varale’s family in many ways. He persuaded his father Bhalachandra Varale to study law, who become a judge and went on to serve as the registrar of the Bombay High Court. Before that, Dr. Ambedkar had appointed Justice Varale’s grandfather Balwant Hanumanth Varale as the superintendent of Milind college that he had founded in Aurangabad.
Balwant Varale accompanied Dr. Ambedkar’s wife Ramabai to Dharwad where she sought treatment and rest. Balwant Varale later became a member of the Mumbai representative assembly as a member of the Independent Labour party, founded by Dr. Ambedkar. Balwant Varale’s younger daughter was among those who read out the vow of Buddhism during the mass conversion in Nagpur.
Justice Varale was born in Nippani in Belagavi district in 1962. He studied in various places in Maharashtra where his father was posted. He joined Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Maratha University to get his law degree. He practised as an advocate in Mumbai for several years.
Career in Maharashtra
He was a junior of S.N. Loya, an eminent lawyer of civil and criminal law in Mumbai. Justice Varale also taught law in Ambedkar law college in Aurangabad for a few years. He served as a public prosecutor in Maharashtra and additional standing counsel for the Union government. He was appointed as a judge of the Bombay High Court in 2008 and served as Chief Justice of Karnataka until his elevation to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court now has three Dalit judges. Justice Varale is the second senior-most Dalit judge there. “It is a matter of inspiration for young lawyers from deprived communities,’‘ said young lawyer Vijay Kumar Budri from Belagavi.
