The Gown and The Gavel: Life Journey of a Former Chief Justice of India

G.B. Patnaik’s memoir is a richly detailed account of the many challenges he encountered in his long, illustrious career, his perseverance with which he overcame them, revealing valuable insights into the inner workings of the Indian judiciary. It recounts some of the fascinating cases he presided over and the strategic judgments he delivered as a judge first at the Orissa and Patna High Courts, and later at the Supreme Court of India. His sincere professionalism, superlative research acumen, and unyielding commitment to maintain and disseminate justice had distinguished him in his early years of practice. This is the remarkable voyage of an assiduous young man from Ghorodia, a small village of Odisha, to become a distinguished jurist who ascended to the highest ranks of the Indian judiciary.