Indira Jaising was born in 1940 in Mumbai (File)
Veteran lawyer Indira Jaising is set to represent the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Forum (WBJDF) when the Supreme Court hears the rape and murder case of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Senior advocate Geeta Luthra was representing the junior doctors in the case so far. Indira Jaising has already secured Geeta Luthra's consent to represent the WBJDF, according to news agency IANS.
Indira Jaising's participation in the case becomes crucial following recent developments. The much-awaited meeting between the delegation of junior doctors and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not take place after the state administration turned down the protesting doctors' plea to live-telecast the meeting.
Here are five things about Indira Jaising you must know:
- Born in 1940 in Mumbai (then Bombay), Indira Jaising is a noted human rights lawyer and a senior advocate at the Supreme Court.
- Over the past few decades, Indira Jaising has taken on some of the most high-profile cases, including representing the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984. She is one of the key persons behind the live-streaming the Supreme Court proceedings. Based on her application, a bench of the top court, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, approved the live-streaming of the proceedings.
- Ms Jaising, in an interview with Financial Times earlier this year, recalled how she "experienced a sense of homelessness and statelessness" while growing up during the period of partition. The veteran lawyer revealed that she resisted family pressure for an arranged marriage to study law and qualified as a lawyer in 1962.
- Ms Jaising is married to Anand Grover, a prominent civil rights lawyer.The couple has been involved in path-breaking cases related to gender justice, gay rights, labour and health care. They co-founded the Lawyers Collective, a law firm, as well as The Leaflet, a media publication.
- In 2009, Ms Jaising became the first woman to be appointed as the Additional Solicitor General of India. She was named among Fortune magazine's 'Fifty Greatest Leaders' in 2018.