Fali S. Nariman

Fali S. Nariman
President's Secretariat · GODL-India · source
Name	Fali S. Nariman
Birth date	10 January 1929
Birth place	Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
Occupation	Jurist, Advocate, Arbitrator, Author
Nationality	Indian
Alma mater	University of Bombay, Lincoln's Inn

Fali S. Nariman Fali S. Nariman is an Indian jurist and senior advocate known for landmark litigation and contributions to constitutional law. He has appeared before the Supreme Court of India and the Bombay High Court and advised institutions such as the Government of India and international bodies. Nariman's practice has intersected with figures and entities including M. C. Chagla, Nani Palkhivala, H. M. Seervai, V. R. Krishna Iyer, and organizations like the Bar Council of India and the International Court of Arbitration.

Early life and education

Born in Bombay in 1929 to a family from the Parsi community, Nariman studied at St. Xavier's High School, Fort and pursued law at the Government Law College, Mumbai under the University of Bombay. He trained in the United Kingdom at Lincoln's Inn and was called to the Bar in London before returning to practice in India. His formative years linked him with contemporaries from Allahabad University, Cambridge University, Oxford University, and mentors such as M. C. Chagla and Nani Palkhivala.

Legal career

Nariman built a practice at the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court of India, representing clients including the State Bank of India, Reserve Bank of India, Air India, and multinational firms like Tata Group and Reliance Industries. He acted in arbitration under rules of the International Chamber of Commerce, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, and the London Court of International Arbitration. Nariman appeared in cases touching on statutes such as the Constitution of India and the Companies Act, 1956 and litigated alongside or against lawyers like N. C. Sen, K. K. Venugopal, Soli Sorabjee, Kapil Sibal, and Mukul Rohatgi.

Constitutional and public interest litigation

Nariman argued pivotal matters before the Supreme Court of India including cases related to the Emergency (India) 1975–1977, public interest litigation frameworks pioneered by judges like P. N. Bhagwati and V. R. Krishna Iyer, and federal disputes involving Union of India and various State Governments such as Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. He intervened in disputes concerning fundamental rights under Articles of the Constitution of India and represented petitioners in matters invoking precedents set by judges including S. R. Das, H. J. Kania, Y. V. Chandrachud, Justice K. S. Hegde, and P. B. Gajendragadkar. Nariman's public interest advocacy engaged with institutions like the Election Commission of India, the Press Council of India, the Law Commission of India, and international bodies such as the International Commission of Jurists.

Judicial appointments and honors

Although primarily a litigator, Nariman was appointed to positions including as a member of tribunals and arbitration panels linked to the United Nations and the Asian Development Bank. He received honors such as the Padma Bhushan and later the Padma Vibhushan, and was elected to professional bodies including the International Law Association and the Bar Association of India. Peers and judges like S. R. Das, P. N. Bhagwati, A. M. Ahmadi, J. S. Verma, and R. V. Raveendran have cited his arguments. He has been awarded honorary degrees from institutions like Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Calcutta, and the University of Mumbai.

Academic and advisory roles

Nariman held visiting and honorary positions at institutions such as Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, National Law School of India University (NLSIU), IIT Bombay, and the Indian Law Institute. He advised commissions including the Sachar Committee and contributed to commissions on electoral reform and arbitration law reform convened by the Ministry of Law and Justice. Nariman lectured at forums organized by Commonwealth Lawyers Association, American Bar Association, International Bar Association, and the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions.

Personal life and legacy

Nariman's family connections include associations with prominent figures from the Parsi and Bombay legal community and interactions with cultural personalities such as Feroz Khan, J. R. D. Tata, and Aga Khan. His legacy influences generations of advocates in India through texts cited in decisions of the Supreme Court and curricula at law schools like National Law University, Delhi, NALSAR University of Law, and West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences. Organizations and awards bearing his name and admirers among jurists such as Ranjan Gogoi, Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy, and scholars from Oxford and Cambridge reflect his standing in comparative constitutional law, arbitration practice, and public law discourse.

Category:1929 births Category:Indian lawyers Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan