The life and work of eminent jurist Justice V R Krishna Iyer were today remembered by the legal fraternity here on the occasion of his 100th birthday.
Iyer was considered a "Marxist" for his contribution towards the well-being of the poor, recently-retired Supreme Court judge Justice K S Radhakrishnan recalled, while eminent jurist and former Delhi University Vice Chancellor Professor Upendra Baxi said he was "a rebel with several causes and a rebel without pauses".
Senior advocate Anil Divan, who remembered the tenure of Justice Iyer in the Supreme Court from July 17, 1973 to November 14, 1980, said he was a man with "great wisdom and great compassion" and his judgements covered reforms for prisoners.
The legal luminaries were speaking at the function organised by the All India Lawyers Union.
"Since the beginning, he was representing the poor and downtrodden and he was even detained because of his those activities in 1948 as his works were being considered as towards anti-establishment," Justice Radhakrishnan said.
Baxi said that Justice Iyer is one of those who conversed 'Supreme Court of India' into 'Supreme Court for all the Indians'.
"He is one of those who are responsible for the current status of the Supreme Court today and the faith and respect the country puts in it," he said.
Divan said that "as Buddha had talked about the need of great wisdom and great compassion, Justice Iyer had both of these things".
