The legal community at the Calcutta High Court recently paid homage to the esteemed former Union Law Minister and Senior Advocate Ashoke Kumar Sen through the unveiling of his portrait at the Bar Library Club. This significant event took place on September 11, with the portrait being unveiled by the Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, Tapabrata Chakraborty. The occasion was graced by members of the Bar as well as Sen’s family.
During the ceremony, Senior Advocate Sanjiv Sen, who is also the grand-nephew of Ashoke Kumar Sen, expressed the family’s pride in the portrait’s installation in the Bar Library. He emphasized the deep connection between the institution and Ashoke Kumar Sen’s growth as a distinguished lawyer. Sanjiv Sen lauded Ashoke Kumar as one of the most remarkable lawyers to have contributed to the Supreme Court, Calcutta High Court, and other legal forums.
Ashoke Kumar Sen was renowned for his voracious reading and his commitment to staying abreast of legal developments across the globe. “He has been an integral part of our constitutional and legal journey for more than four decades, from the 1950s to the 1990s, both as a lawmaker and as a legal advisor to the courts,” noted Sanjiv Sen.
Born in 1913 in Faridpur, now part of Bangladesh, Ashoke Kumar Sen’s academic journey included attending Presidency College in Calcutta and the London School of Economics, ultimately being called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn. His professional career began as a law lecturer at City College, Calcutta, before he transitioned to practice at the Calcutta High Court, where he also served as Junior Standing Counsel for the West Bengal government.
Elected to Parliament in 1957 representing Calcutta North West, Sen served multiple terms in the Lok Sabha and later in the Rajya Sabha. He held the post of Union Law Minister from 1957 to 1966 under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and again from 1984 to 1987 under Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, making him the longest-serving Union Law Minister in India’s history.
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Sen’s contributions extended beyond national borders, as he represented India at various international law and human rights conferences. He also served as President of the Supreme Court Bar Association. Sanjiv Sen narrated an anecdote that former Chief Justice BB Sinha had offered Ashoke Sen a Supreme Court judgeship at the age of 45, which he declined to continue his practice at the Bar.
In his address, Sanjiv Sen emphasized Ashoke Sen’s professional ethos, highlighting his ability to consider opposing views without personal bias. “The portrait at the Calcutta High Court should remind young lawyers of Mr. Sen’s dedication to preparation, learning, and respecting professional disagreements,” he stated. “His legacy is not just in statutes or speeches, but in choices that prioritize thorough preparation, clear argumentation, and treating others with dignity despite differences.”
The event at the Calcutta High Court followed a similar unveiling of Ashoke Kumar Sen’s portrait at the Supreme Court Bar Association Library on July 29, 2023, officiated by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
