Nagpur: Justice Vivian Bose, despite being a high court judge, once quietly sat on a bench outside a police station after being asked to accompany the police, without revealing his identity or expressing displeasure, recalled Justice Anil Kilor while highlighting the importance of humility and simplicity in professional and personal life.Sharing the anecdote during a lecture on ‘The Legacy of the Bar Association and the Role of Junior Lawyers’, organised by HCBA here on Tuesday, the senior administrative judge said the incident had been narrated to him by former Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde, when he was working with him.“Justice Bose owned a Fiat car and frequently travelled to Pachmarhi. On one such journey, the police stopped his car and asked him to accompany them to the police station,” the judge said.Without disclosing he was an HC judge, Bose complied, without expressing displeasure or asserting his position. After some time, a senior police officer recognised Justice Bose and apologised for the conduct of his staff.Justice Kilor said the incident conveyed an important lesson: even after achieving great heights in life, people should retain simplicity in their thinking, lifestyle and approach towards others.Recalling his initial struggles with legal concepts, Justice Kilor recalled feeling insecure after a friend explained legal concepts that he struggled to understand. “However, over time, I realised that young practitioners need not possess exhaustive knowledge at the outset of their careers. What matters is their willingness to learn and readiness to work hard,” he said.“Ex-CJI Bobde, during his time as a lawyer, told me that even if you feel a judge is hostile towards you, appear before him,” Kilor said, adding that Bobde advised preparing thrice as much during such scenarios. “He explained that when a judge repeatedly sees the quality of preparation and your determination to pursue justice, his attitude may eventually change,” Kilor said.Addressing young lawyers, Justice Kilor said they might go on to become senior advocates, judges or occupy other distinguished positions. However, they should never forget the importance of humility and simplicity, irrespective of the heights they achieve.
