My Years in the Supreme Court continues....

I was again appointed a vacation judge for the year 1951. I spent this summer in Simla. My daughter, Raj Kumari, became seriously ill before the vacation of 1951. She gave birth to twin daughters; neither of them survived. Before her illness, my son Maharaj, who had not listened so far to my advice to get married.

Suddenly came to me one day and gave me the happy news that he had selected a bride for himself. He was married in the month of February/March 195I. Chief Justice Kania and all the brother Judges and a number of Ministers of the Central Government attended the reception and the ceremonies in connection with his wedding. The President was gracious enough to be present at some of them.

After the summer vacation when the Court reopened in the beginning of October, one morning before going to Court, I received a telephone call from the Chief Justice telling me that I should take his place on the Bench on which he was presiding because he was feeling some difficulty in breathing. He also asked me whether I knew Col. Amir Chand, a renowned physician of Delhi.

I told him that he was my friend and a very efficient doctor. He invited him for treating him. The Colonel advised him complete rest but when I reached the Court, the Chief Justice was also there and he told me that he was feeling much better.

All the Judges advised him not to sit in Court but to go home and take rest but he was so conscientious about his work that he insisted on sitting in Court to finish a part heard case.

The result was that early next morning, he got a severe heart attack. After that he did not attend Court but remained in bed and considerably improved in health. Being a Gujarati he used to celebrate the Diwali by throwing a big party at his house in Delhi.

To be continued..