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Speech of Hon’ble Justice Thiru. Vaidyanathan:
I want to start with a small story and complete with that. You all would have come
across the story of Mulla. Mulla came to address the gathering on the first day and he
asked the person who sat “do you know why I have come here to speak”? and they said
they don’t know, then he said that there is no purpose of addressing, and so he left.
Second day again he came and asked the same question, everybody said that they
know, then he said if you know everything why should I address, he left. The third day
he went fifty percent of the gathering said that they know what he was going to address
and fifty percent said they did not know. He said that those who don’t know can learn it
from the person who know and left. As far as legal field is concern. This is a noble
profession where everybody can shine. Sky is the limit where you can do service to
poor people and needy and get good name. If you see the freedom fighters of our
country ninety percent of them were lawyers. Only one fear which I think about the
colleges is that the students are doing very well but ultimately they land up in corporate
sectors, nobody is coming to the litigation field. The reason is initially for a period of ten
years this is not very lucrative but after ten years you are the masters of the field. So, I
request the students and parents to guide and allow the children to practice on the legal
side, to practice and shine in the future. All the best to all of you.
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Speech of Hon’ble Justice Tmt. Pushpa Satyanarayana:
I should now applaud the enduring efforts of Saveetha School of Law,
to organise at frequent intervals competitions on contemporary issues of relevance,
where students of all the law colleges across the nation can deliberate upon.
Today’s topic is almost an unexplored subject and equally we were also
enthusiastic about the topic. Those who have chosen the topic hats off to them.
This is an area where no law has been laid down and this is also the arguments and
the questions which the teams faced from us. But this is very interesting because not
all the nations in the world have accepted the concept of Surrogacy. And India also
though it is made legal there is no norms or rules been laid down. The surrogacy
itself is a very subjective feeling. One question I asked the team for which even
I am yet to receive an answer, when the biological parents themselves abandon the child,
if the child is born with deformity and here if this goes by a commercial agreement
where the surrogate mother is forced to give up the rights of the child and the intending
parents also want to abandon the child who will take care of the child. In a country
where it is over populated and these kinds of problems often happen in surrogacy would
lead to all these question. Whether this is to addressed as a public interest.
It was a moot point today also. Though it involves more of private interest but it is a matter of public interest, because it is in the interest of the nation. It is a very sensitive subject
when a woman is concerned. In moot courts when you are given such kind of topics that gives you vision of larger prospective and you get to know the awareness of the current issues in the law.
These moot courts also increases advocacy and promotes public speaking. I am very happy to see these children arguing as if in a real court of law without any training. I wish more and more students take part in this and can have these mock moot courts even in intra-colleges. Many of the students who participate in such inter-college are creamy layer students.
We also need to encourage the students who are not readily willing to take part but if this moot court is made a part of curriculum even they will be trained. Most of the creamy layer students get into the corporate sectors, few come into the litigation and now the scenario has to change because it’s equally lucrative but to rise to that level you have to work.
No pain no gain. The efforts what you put at this young age may not be rewarded immediately but will certainly will give you a bigger reward in future. I would say that I am a classic example of this, I haven’t been a very great lawyer but I was a sincere lawyer. Updating myself with whatever was happening. My sincerity has taken me to this level without any background and I am a first generation lawyer. So this could be called as an achievement, easily everybody can do that and the efforts and inputs which you give now as young lawyers without any commitment would help you go a long way in your life. I wish you all the very best.
