As much as the upcoming Chief Justice, Justice Suryakant, is being talked about these days, it is equally important to remember and celebrate his father, Shri Madan Gopal Shastri. Justice Suryakant, who is soon to assume the highest judicial office in the country, has always regarded his father as his guiding light and source of inspiration.
I feel a deep sense of pride in recalling my personal association with Shri Madan Gopal Shastri, who served with dedication as a Sanskrit teacher in a school in Haryana until his retirement. Our frequent get-togethers at the Indian Coffee House in Chandigarh, over coffee and vada-sambar, were never merely social meetings—they were enriching conversations centered on Sanskrit literature and the vibrant folk song traditions of Haryana. Often, our discussions were joined by Shri Madhav Kaushik, Professor Harbans, and Dr. Vijendra Yadav, making those moments even more memorable.
Shri Madan Gopal Shastri also served for many years as the President of the Punjab Sanskrit Teachers’ Association (before the state’s reorganization). He took great pride in being among the few remaining torchbearers of Haryana’s folk culture, often reminiscing about listening to the legendary singer Pandit Lakhmichand and engaging in thoughtful discussions about the folk tales behind his songs.
In recognition of his remarkable literary and cultural contributions, Shri Madan Gopal Shastri was honored with the “Mahakavi Surdas Smriti Samman” by the Haryana Sahitya Akademi and the Haryana Sanskrit Akademi, as well as the Senior Sanskrit Sevak Samman by the Sanskriti Akademi.
Some intimate memories of Mr. Madan Gopal remain etched in my memory, and this is the right time to recall them. The first literary festival of the Haryana Sahitya Akademi (during my tenure as Director) was held in Sirsa, and I invited the then Advocate General, Suryakant, as the chief guest. Mr. Suryakant was the youngest Advocate General of Haryana. Literary figures from across the state were invited to that first festival. It was also a pleasant surprise for me that the chief guest’s father, Mr. Madan Gopal Shastri, was among the invited literary figures. His relationship with the chief guest was publicly revealed when Mr. Suryakant touched his feet and sought his blessings before taking his seat on the stage. The surprise reached its peak when, as director, I requested Mr. Madan Gopal Shastri, the oldest writer present at the function, to welcome the chief guest on behalf of the Academy. The same foot-touching ritual was once again enacted on stage when Mr. Shastri presented a bouquet to Mr. Suryakant and the chief guest touched the feet of a father on stage.
Mr. Madan Gopal used to proudly say, “All our sons, including Suryakant, have reserved a room in their homes for me and our mother. Whenever we visit one of our sons, we find our room fully furnished.” Besides Justice Suryakant, Shastri had a son working as a renowned doctor in Bhiwani, while another son also managed the village’s agriculture.
Shastri had a deep attachment to his home village, Petwad (Hisar). He said that Petwad was the birthplace of all his children, including Suryakant. All four children completed their childhood education under the light of kerosene lamps, as electricity had not yet fully reached the villages. Therefore, his sons also have a connection with the sweet smell of this village’s soil. All his sons (including Suryakant) also received their primary education in this village.
Traditionally, he would invite and honor a literary figure or learned teacher from this village every year. Once he requested me to come there and also said that ‘Son Suryakant will himself bring you with him from Chandigarh with full respect’ and it was a moment of special pride for me when he applied tilak to me with mantras in the presence of the villagers and blessed the children one by one.
18 special works of Shri Madan Gopal Shastri are dedicated to folk culture and Sanskrit literature. He received the Senior Culture Scholar Award in the year 2012 and the Mahakavi Surdas Award in 2013.
Justice Suryakant’s elder brother Rishikant once told that ‘Our Surya also wrote poems. During his college days, one of his poems ‘Meedh Par Mitti Chadha Do’ was also popular. He himself had also admitted that ‘he had written many poems during his college education. But my father, like a poetry teacher, would tease me so much that I would often have to edit the poem before teaching it to him.
Justice Suryakant also holds numerous professional accolades. He served on nearly 300 benches, and his notable achievements include decisions on Article 370, Bihar ‘SIR’ Rank One pension, Pegasus spyware, equality and corruption, and reserving one-third of the seats in the Supreme Court Bar Association for women.
His elder brother, Rishikant, still holds ties to the rural area. He, too, is a former teacher and once proudly remarked, “Our Surya and Dr. Shivkant have plowed the fields. It’s also remarkable that we brothers share our property.” During many private conversations, Justice Suryakant shared his deep love for the sweet smell of the village soil. All four brothers also contributed to the reconstruction of the village pond.
The Justice’s wife, Savita, regretted not being able to pursue a PhD. She would say that “father” (Shastri ji) wanted her to pursue academia. They also have two daughters, but the entire family takes utmost care to ensure that the Justice does not become embroiled in any controversy, even because of his family.
Mr. Madan Gopal Shastri once recounted that when Suryakant entered the judiciary, “I personally called all the sons and family members and cautioned them never to use Justice Suryakant’s name or exert any pressure on him for any inappropriate action.” Transparency, forthrightness, and a balanced and thoughtful life were the special mantras of this Sanskrit teacher, which he imparted to Justice Suryakant and his three other sons.
