“Justice Sukumaran is a jurist who took into consideration the story of the human life behind every case in which he delivered a judgment. He is an intelligent person and a deep thinker,” said Minister for Excise and Ports K. Babu, at the 85 birthday celebration of former Judge of the High Court of Kerala and Bombay Justice K. Sukumaran.
“Environmental issues are in great prominence today. But Justice Sukumaran championed the cause of conserving the environment at a time when there was no awareness about the issue,” the Minister said.
Several jurists, advocates, political leaders, friends and family of the eminent jurist were present at the birthday celebrations held at Maharaja’s College auditorium here on Saturday. Justice Sukumaran, an alumnus of Maharaja’s College, was appointed as an Additional Judge of the High Court of Kerala in 1981 and became a Permanent Judge the following year. He has also authored several books on law and is a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award.
Writer Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi said Justice Sukumaran always tried to explain legal issues in a simple language to make it clearer to the masses. “His writing is marked by the beauty of his language,” she said after inaugurating the celebrations. Former Judge of the Supreme Court and member of the National Human Rights Commission Justice Cyriac Joseph said Justice Sukumaran had been a role model for him on several occasions during his career. “He rose from humble beginnings to great heights. Justice Sukumaran is also a model for future generations about how you can overcome obstacles with hard work to become successful,” he said.
The speakers remembered various contributions of Justice Sukumaran, including his inquiry into the scandal surrounding Idamalayar dam, his efforts to stop the eviction of people in slums in Mumbai, and his report on atrocities against Dalits and minorities in Varanasi.
