Nani Palkhivala-The Gentle Colossus

December 11 marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of the one and only Nani Palkhivala. Soli Sorabjee said that Palkhivala's class was one that they always looked forward to and wished would go on beyond the allotted time. And in Minerva Mills case where the doctrine was reiterated and applied, Nani, in response to Justice Untwalia's denunciation of socialism, almost shouted, "Not even a lunatic would ever dream of jumping across the wall from West Berlin to East Berlin." Paying an obituary tribute to Sir Asutosh Mookerjee on his demise, the Calcutta Law Journal regretfully wrote that "Nature which had showered so many blessings and gifts on him failed to clothe his mortal frame with physical immortality …" Much the same can be said of Palkhivala too. Every effort to inculcate in the citizens a sense of national identity, an awareness of one's rights and a commitment to one's duties would be a fitting tribute to the sacred memory of Palkhivala.