The Arc Of Memory: My Life And Times By Murlidhar C. Bhandare: A Delightful Read On Law, Politics, Love & Life

From a humble beginning starting in a one-room family home in Mumbai to ending up in the country's capital, from taking up the cause of Mumbai's workmen as a labour lawyer to earning his stripes as a senior advocate at the Supreme Court representing the political elite of the country, marrying the love of his life and then venturing into public life, enriching the legal discourse in Rajya Sabha to contributing to international jurisprudence at the United Nations, and finally retiring from public life as the Governor of Odisha, Murlidhar Bhandare has tried to encapsulate his life in his memoir. In The Arc of Memory: My Life and Times, Mr Bhandare lovingly referred to as Murli by his dear friends has woven a tapestry of his life taking us on a journey of not just his legal and public life but also offering us a view of newly independent Bombay (as it then was, now Mumbai), law school education and the overpouring concern that teachers had for their students in a non-commercial educational set up, the vibrant tradition, culture, and intrigue that went at the Bombay Bar, development of jurisprudence at the Supreme Court, music, art, culture and most importantly the love of his life to whom he has dedicated his memoir, Late Justice Sunanda Bhandare, a prominent jurist and judge in her own right. Like most autobiographies, this book attempts to capture one's life as you see it passing by in a single frame, an earnest effort to articulate your life journey for the benefit of others and in a way for oneself before memory fades. Without a doubt, the book is a must-read for the legal fraternity but it should also adorn the bookshelf of anyone interested in various vicissitudes that dot one's life and the way to overcome it. The book has an illustrious foreword by Fali Nariman, eminent jurist whom we lost recently, recalling the brilliant lawyer and most importantly the amazing human that Mr. Bhandare is. Though the autobiography is neatly structured with each chapter containing various phases of his life it is written in a way that gives no scope for a mundane reading. It is sprinkled with anecdotes and first-person accounts of landmark cases and events like Gurbaksh Singh Sibbia, Shreya Singhal and contains the legal and diplomatic manoeuvres that he was a part of at the UN Sub-Commission for Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. It not only offers a fairly good insight into the functioning of the Bar and the Bench – both integral for a robust democracy but also highlights the stereotypes and traditional baggage that mar these institutions sometimes to the detriment of a large section of people. The book has an entire chapter dedicated to H.R. Gokhale, former Law Minister of India who was a friend, mentor, partner and father-in-law of Mr. Bhandare. Mr. Bhandare not only highlights the contributions of Mr. Gokhale to Indian public life but delightfully reminisces about the great benefactor that Mr. Gokhale was to him. In recalling his days as a member of the Rajya Sabha he briefly outlines the important interventions that he brought on a wide range of policy matters – the welfare of women and children, federal structure, environmental protection, and human rights. They do not just reflect upon the legal perspective that he brought to the rich dialogue in Rajya Sabha but also the humane insight that he offered to the parliamentary discussions. In his days as the Governor of Odisha, he recounts throwing open the gates of Raj Bhavan to the common people and striving to be a people's governor changing the image of being just another central government-appointed constitutional functionary to a person steeped in the land's culture and milieu. With great personal details, the autobiography offers us the utter happiness and joy that he derived as a parent and grand-parent, the importance of sports and leisure in one's life, and his journey from bare minimum existence to being a part of the social elite. The work is replete with the gusto and zest for life that Mr. Bhandare has and it emphasizes on enjoying the finer things that life offers. It is an unfailing reminder not to let your enthusiasm dwindle in the face of drudgery – life's inevitable part. The most striking and beautiful part of this memoir, the inspiration for penning down his life journey is the eternal love he professes for his wife Late Justice Sunanda Bhandare. The book highlights her many achievements – both as a doting mother and as a seasoned legal professional, who he recalls would have become the first woman Chief Justice of India, had destiny not snatched her away at a fairly young age. In dedicating the book to her, Mr Bhandare quotes Mahatma Gandhi, “There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” Having lived an illustrious life, the only abiding regret ...

The Arc Of Memory: My Life And Times By Murlidhar C. Bhandare: A Delightful Read On Law, Politics, Love & Life

Amar Patil

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