INTRODUCTION

Known to his clients as the “big picture guy” Raian Karanjawala is the founder one of India’s largest and influential law firms Karanjwala & Co.

JAITLEY, ROHATGI & OTHERS

I met Arun (Arun Jaitley, late finance and defence minister) in my very first week of admission at SRCC (Shriram College of Commerce), almost 50 years ago in 1972.

There developed between us an instant rapport from our very first meeting onwards. One thingwas clear even at that time, that Arun would go very far in life. That was, because he was highly intelligent, very articulate, had high integrity, and had a sense of purpose, which he exhibited in all his relationships. He was a person whom I admired and remained close friends with throughout his life.

A year later, I met with another of my very close friend Rohinton Nariman, now a judge of the Supreme Court. Among my other good friends were Justice Arjan Sikri, a former judge of the Supreme Court, Vijay Goel, former Union minister and Rajat Sharma, the proprietor of India TV. I also acquired a Bollywood connection through my friendship with actor Gulshan Grover.

Since, I was the captain of Shriram College’s debating team. I debated against and became friendly with some of the other well-known debaters of the time like Hardeep Singh Puri (current Union civil aviation minister) from Hindu College; Pawan Varma (former adviser to the chief minister of Bihar) from Law College, and Shashi Tharoor, (former Union minister and UN under-secretary general) from St. Stephen’s College.

I was also active in student politics, so I knew Ravi Shankar Prasad (current Union law and justice minister). Later, when I went to study law in Bombay, I met a person who is now one of my closest friends: Mukul Rohatgi (former attorney general). It’s these connections that stayed with me through the rest of my career.

                              Next: Jaitley, Sibal & Politics

In conversation with Sangeeth Sebastian

Follow sangeeth @sangeethspeak