RIP: Indian lawyers mourn Prof Madhava Menon, visionary father of legal education, giant of the profession

Wednesday, 8 May 2019 By Legally India Law schools

RIP Prof Madhava Menon: Miles he went...
RIP Prof Madhava Menon: Miles he went...

The single-most influential and already in-his-lifetime legendary figure in Indian legal education, Prof NR Madhava Menon, has passed away last night, after having been diagnosed with liver cancer several months ago.

He was 84.

Menon has perhaps single-handedly done more for the modern Indian legal profession than nearly any other Indian lawyer, having founded NLSIU Bangalore, National Judicial Academy Bhopal and NUJS Kolkata, and having inspired and encouraged thousands of lawyers.

Born on 4 May 1935 in Kerala, Menon began his career studying a BSc in Zoology in 1953, continuing to complete law at Government Law College Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram between 1953 and 1955, and then practised as a lawyer before the Kerala high court.

He took a job at the Central Secretariat in Delhi after passing his civil services exam, then secured an MA from Punjab University via its Delhi campus, and completed his LLM and PhD from Aligarh Muslim University by 1965, also becoming warden at a hostel there and joining as a professor in 1968.

By 1986, Menon had set up India’s first national law school, NLSIU Bangalore, which he headed up for 12 years to much acclaim. In 1998, implementing some of the lessons he had learned in Bangalore, he set up NUJS Kolkata and in 2003 he presided as the founder director over the National Judicial Academy Bhopal, until retiring in 2006.

Nevertheless, even after retirement, Menon continued to be a visionary and leader of the legal profession and particularly legal education as well as law and policy, setting up the educational charity, Menon Institute of Legal Advocacy Training (MILAT), which has been conducting continuing legal education (CLE) sessions throughout the country.

As we cited from his memoirs in our profile of Menon from 2009:

“Health is deteriorating and the body is asking to slow down activities,” he wrote. “Mind, on the other hand, seems to say that lot many things need to be done and can be done before one bids good bye to this wonderful, beautiful world.

“I am reminded of what Robert Frost had written many years ago:

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep

But I have promises to keep

And miles to go before I sleep

And miles to go before I sleep.”

Accolades for Menon began pouring out late last night, particularly from NLSIU graduates.

Prof Shamnad Basheer tweeted:

What a huge loss for us! Prof Madhav Menon just passed away. A legal legend who pioneered the National Law School model and gave a fantastic face lift to legal education in India. Making it even more attractive than engineering and medicine!

Senior counsel and academic Menaka Guruswamy tweeted:

Dr NR Madhav Menon, founding director of the National Law School of India Bangalore, dedicated teacher, reformer of legal education passed away today. We, his students mourn his passing while celebrating his work and his life. #Drmenon Thank you sir, for all you did.

World Bank lead counsel Vikram Raghavan wrote on Facebook:

N. R. Madhava Menon. Founder director of the National Law School of India University, Bangalore. Doyen of Indian legal education. A model citizen whom India’s founders would be proud of. RIP.

Other tributes

The President of India tweeted:

Sorry to hear of the passing of Prof N.R. Madhava Menon, educationist, scholar and a pioneering spirit behind modern legal education in India, beginning with National Law School of India University, Bangalore. My condolences to his family and countless students #PresidentKovind

The governor of Kerala, former Chief Justice of India (CJI) P Sathasivam tweeted:

Deeply saddened by the demise of Prof. N R #MadhavaMenon, whose insightful ideas modernised legal education in India. As an authority in legal & constitutional matters, he used his limitless erudition to build world class institutions & to enlighten generations of students.

NITI Ayog member Bibek Debroy tweeted:

Have so many memories about Professor Menon. Had known him since 1993. Had the opportunity to work with him too.

To be updated.

obituaryMadhava Menon

Comments

Guest 8 May 2019, 02:01
+22 -0
Very sad. He taught my batch at NUJS, ages ago in a different era. He was very kind to me and told my parents (who wanted me to study engineering) why law is a good profession. He said there are many career opportunities in law as foreign law firms will enter India "very soon" (LOLZ). The college should remember him by renaming a research centre in his name, instituting an annual lecture series and perhaps a fellowship/chair professorship for someone very distinguished.
[...] 8 May 2019, 02:32
+39 -3
Amidst the condolence and words of praise , we should feel ashamed at how his vision for legal education has been perverted. NLUs being randomly set up with poor faculty and infrastructure. A generation of VCs known not for academic achievements but for receiving kickbacks and sucking up to politicians. Meanwhile, the two institutions he set up were patronised by scholarly politicians educated abroad, like SM Krishna and Jyoti Basu. We now have an NLU where Yogi Adityanath is the Chancellor, while Menon's two babies are looked after by Kumaraswamy and Mamata, who want to turn it into local colleges.

We are complicit by looking the other way.
Guest 8 May 2019, 03:00
+14 -0
I was associated with him when Prof Menon was director of the National Judicial Academy. He was brilliant and very good speeaker. We have lost a great man. May his soul rest in peace.
Guest 8 May 2019, 03:10
+20 -0
NLSIU, NJA and NUJS should organise an annual lecture series held in rotation between Bengaluru, Bhopal and Kolkata.
Babu Bhaiya 8 May 2019, 03:21
+13 -0
A couple of alumni had gone to meet Prof Menon, a few days back. Kian, kindly mention that he was the Chancellor of the Guru Ghasidas Central University as well.

Also this seems more accurate,
"He got enrolled as an Advocate in Kerala High Court in 1956 at the early age of 20. Dr. Menon joined the faculty of Aligarh Muslim University in 1960; moved to Delhi University in 1965, became Professor and Head of the Campus Law Centre. During this period he served on deputation as Principal of Government Law College, Pondicherry and Secretary of the Bar Council of India Trust."

https://www.nls.ac.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511&Itemid=58
By-stander 8 May 2019, 04:59
+11 -0
Thank you Dr. Madhav Menon. Rest in Peace.
Guest 8 May 2019, 05:10
+13 -17
DU and NUJS will try to claim Menon as their own, but the truth is that NLSIU is his first and greatest creation and the true keeper of his legacy in terms of academic standards. DU was once great, now has bad infra and filled with goon students who abuse the Dean in public in filthy language (see video of student leader Satendar Awana on YouTube). Some students even choose Jindal 3 year LLB over DU, while those with tech degrees choose the IIT patent law school. NUJS sinking for nearly a decade under Ishwar Bhat and current Mamata govt appointee. Current students not as sincere as older batches.
Guest 8 May 2019, 05:37
+16 -3
True keeper of his legacy? Certainly not. The standards at NLSIU has also plummeted over the years like everywhere else. Agree with your last sentence, but that holds true for all tier one NLUs these days all over the country. And Menon certainly would not have condoned the supercilious air NLSIU grads try to assume these days. Education is supposed to make people humble, not snooty. I'm not even mentioning the misogyny and ragging culture.
El kid 8 May 2019, 06:16
+3 -14
So many kids leave NLS and join tier 2 colleges like NLUD, nluj, NUJS. Does that make NLS bad?
Guest 8 May 2019, 06:20
+29 -3
Can't you give the law school d*** measuring contest a rest here at least? Shame on you for dragging it into this post. You are certainly not the product of any place deserving to be called Menon's legacy.
Guest 8 May 2019, 06:49
+5 -4
Prof Menon led a very healthy and disciplined life and should have lived a few more years. Cancer is reducing the life span of Indians. With age, even the healthiest immune system is unable to withstand pollutants in the air, water and food.
green lantern 8 May 2019, 06:50
+8 -0
a bow with humility and gratitude to greatness.
Guest 8 May 2019, 07:15
+8 -0
I am what I am today, thanks to his vision and achievements. I pray for his Soul to attain Moksh. Om Shanti
Guest 8 May 2019, 07:32
+13 -0
Below is a link to Dr Menon's PhD thesis on white collar crime. He chose the topic in the 1960s, way ahead of his time. An original and outstanding work in the pre-internet era, whereas most people in India now obtain PhDs through cut and paste! Also interesting because most VCs do repetitive research on fundamental rights and human rights!

http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/57697
VW 8 May 2019, 09:13
+1 -0
This thesis does not seem to have been published as a book. It should be republished now. It made observations 50 years ago that are relevant in the Ambani-Nirav Modi-Mallya era.
Guest 8 May 2019, 09:05
+3 -0
A few of us from alumni of Nujs going to Trivandrum to meet his wife and son on Saturday morning. Those who can make it please join. Tearful farewell to Greatness.
Guest 8 May 2019, 12:13
+0 -0
RIP
Guest 8 May 2019, 22:24
+0 -0
Fali Nariman has revealed something controversial in his tribute to Prof Menon:

[quote]More than two decades ago, if fate (and some then-sitting judges) had not intervened, he would have been the first and only member of that special category of appointees to the Supreme Court set out in Article 124 of our Constitution: “… a person who is in the opinion of the President of India a distinguished jurist”. But it was not to be.
[/quote]

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/madhava-menon-passes-away-the-lawyers-master-5717913/

He must reveal who these judges were. The NLU Student Consortium should also pass a resolution to this effect and seek academicians as judges (after the motivated Gogoi petition).
bad idea 9 May 2019, 16:46
+0 -0
imagine the guys who taught us sitting as judges?! (i agree there were a few good men - but they will never get appointed)
Rant 9 May 2019, 03:20
+7 -0
What a s**t condolence message from Amit Talukdar to the Telegraph!! The man founded NUJS and a bland one-liner is all you have to say?? NUJS has even posted this message on the official website, using the crude sarkari abbreviation "Sd" (as if it's a bloody court order). The college has also copied the photo from Legally India instead of using a photo of Menon at NUJS. In contrast, the message given by the students is well drafted, even though they are kids less than 1/3 Talukdar's age. The students have thoughtfully used a photo of Menon at NUJS and mentioned his contributions at NUJS, even though they were barely even born then.

I am sorry for using such strong language, but I believe NUJS is insulting the great man's legacy by posting such a crude condolence message . I request the students to ask the college to remove it from the NUJS website and replaced with something more polished.

Links:

https://epaper.telegraphindia.com/imageview_268914_163755519_4_71_09-05-2019_12_i_1_sf.html
http://www.nujs.edu
http://sja.nujs.edu
Akhtar M 9 May 2019, 07:39
+1 -0
Dr Menon was the founder of the first five-year law course at National Law School Bangalore which became the brand and standard for other National Law Schools of India like at Hyderabad, Calcutta, Jodhpur etc. Earlier 3year course law degrees which were the dumping ground for useless graduates suddenly changed and the new law schools attracted talents through Common Admission Tests. The graduates coming out of law schools are definitely far better than the graduates of old system. They have made their mark both in the bar and in the courts as judge. Menon will be long remembered who not only strengthen legal professional bench mark but democracy too. I salute this great soul. RIP
Valar Morghulis 9 May 2019, 07:54
+2 -5
I know this will invite bricks. But I think we have to be careful getting all hagiographic

Before piggybacking on Fali as an authority on Prof Menon, please read

https://www.outlookindia.com/blog/story/fali-s-nariman-vs-upendra-baxi-ors/2248

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/roving-i/fali-after-25-years-what/

https://www.thequint.com/news/india/supreme-betrayal-how-the-sc-failed-the-bhopal-disasters-victims (covers Soli Sorabjee as well, a name frequently and lovingly uttered by Prof Menon)

Of course Sorabjee would prefer that we stick to this narrative https://www.hindustantimes.com/world/sorabjee-turned-down-offer-to-be-carbide-lawyer/story-embtPmagyGgftX7LC1GzVI.html

Then again history can be potentially be defined as a set of agreed lies.

Although I am not suggesting a full-blown Bhopal Gas Leak discussion here, the luminary who negotiated the settlement has some interesting views on the settlement figure https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/interview/lsquoIt-was-not-a-case-it-was-a-tragedy-Nariman/article16270169.ece

I don't support the notion that animal lives are less valuable than humans but to put things in perspective it cost USD 80,000 to rehabilitate the oiled sea animals, such as otters after the Exxon Valdez spill http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/oil-spill/docs/arlis-exxon-valdez.pdf?noredirect=on

Now compare this figure and the other terms of settlement with that of the Bhopal case, which was supposedly done (as Fali Nariman would have us believe) at the behest of our ever so honourable Supreme Court judges and the shining jurists that illuminate us all with their Bran like greensight.

So next time we talk about jurists and human rights defenders aka as Nani, Fali, Anil et al let us also remember how histories were and are made, especially the renegade or non-hagiographic variety. Maybe with GoT prequel we will come to know that Night King isn't really the villain he was made out to be. The reverse may hold true for the new Gods we are herded to worship, especially when we decide to excavate, read and spread history differently. Applies for Prof Menon as well https://www.livelaw.in/national-law-universities-original-intent-real-founders/
RIP 9 May 2019, 10:28
+10 -0
While not disregarding any of his achievements, is it a bit of a stretch to say that he has "single-handedly done more for the modern Indian legal profession"?

NLSIU Bangalore, for example, was not a one-man project. The reformation in the Indian legal education system was conceptualised by Ram Jethmalani while he was the Chairman of the Bar Council of India (1970-75) (and perhaps a few others as well). The BCI formed the Legal Education Committee (LEC) under the Chairmanship of Jethmalani, and other prominent members including Justice Hidayatullah and Prof. Upendra Baxi. The LEC ideated the National Law School model and with the help of Ramakrishna Hegde, then CM of Karnataka, set up its campus in Bangalore.

Prof. Baxi was almost set to take the role of Director of NLS Bangalore, but couldn't after some issues with his involvement with Delhi University. It was only after that Prof. Menon was brought in.

Having said that, his contribution to the Indian legal education is irreplaceable. RIP.
Guest 9 May 2019, 11:19
+2 -11
Upendra Baxi is an arch leftist. If he had headed NLSIU it would have become another JNU-type urban naxal hub.
Guest 9 May 2019, 13:21
+13 -1
And might have actually been known globally as a premier Indian educational institution rather than just remaining king-of-the-hill among two-bit Indian NLUs. Don't forget that bit.
Guest 7 May 2020, 20:08
+1 -0
A legal reformer who pioneered the New and updated legal education in India.
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