Attorney General R. Venkataramani paid tribute to his predecessor, K. Parasaran, noting how Parasaran’s deep devotion to Lord Ram has shaped his interpretations of law, ethics, and constitutional duty.
Speaking at a ceremony in Chennai hosted by the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu & Puducherry in honor of Parasaran’s platinum jubilee as a lawyer and 50 years as a Senior Advocate Venkataramani remarked that Parasaran had “only one master, Lord Ram.” He added that Parasaran’s love for the Constitution was intertwined with his spiritual convictions.
Venkataramani referred to Parasaran as a “saint lawyer,” someone whose life merges dharma and law. “For him, law is but a phase of dharma, and it is meaningful only when grounded in it,” he said. He praised Parasaran’s career as one of discipline, consistency, and moral integrity.
Turning to Parasaran’s role in high-profile cases, Venkataramani recalled his involvement in the Ayodhya matter, saying that destiny often claims many, but Parasaran was chosen to stay the course. He described Parasaran as rare someone who balanced worldly legal tasks with spiritual principles, putting dharma above external pressures, and influencing governance through ancient wisdom.
Venkataramani also highlighted Parasaran’s stewardship in the Union Carbide litigation following the 1984 Bhopal disaster. He noted the challenges Parasaran faced in navigating mass tort law under international scrutiny, and said that skeptics at the time including academics like Upendra Baxi now see that Parasaran’s caution and fairness were well placed.
Born in Srirangam in 1927, Parasaran enrolled at the Madras Bar in 1950. He became a Senior Advocate in 1975 and, over his long career, served as Advocate General of Tamil Nadu, Solicitor General, and India’s Attorney General (1983–1989). Venkataramani said that Parasaran’s dedication to humility, learning, and clarity of purpose has made him an exemplar for younger lawyers.
In his remarks, Venkataramani also recalled their personal interactions how briefing Parasaran felt like receiving ethical lessons and described himself as perpetually a student. The event included the launch of a commemorative volume on Parasaran’s life and was attended by several Supreme Court judges alongside members of the Bar.
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