Friday, November 8, marked the conclusion of DY Chandrachud's tenure as Chief Justice of India. On his last working day, he shared heartfelt reflections with a courtroom of colleagues and legal professionals, expressing deep gratitude and humility. In his farewell, he thanked those who had supported him and sought forgiveness for any unintentional hurt he may have caused during his time in office.

With a smile, Chandrachud recounted a conversation about the farewell ceremony’s timing. “Last evening, when my registrar judicial asked me about the ceremony, I was told 2 pm would work since we could cover a lot of items. I thought, ‘Will anyone even be here in this court at 2 pm on a Friday afternoon?’” he said, jokingly wondering if he’d be speaking to an empty room.

As he reminisced, Justice Chandrachud expressed admiration for the judicial tradition, recalling how he learned the craft of argument and courtroom technique as a young lawyer. “We come here as pilgrims to work, and that work has real impact, making or breaking cases,” he said. “Great judges have graced this court, passing down their wisdom and strength.”

Speaking on the continuity of the institution, Chandrachud expressed full confidence in his successor, Justice Sanjiv Khanna. “Nothing will change when I leave, as Justice Khanna, someone so stable and dignified, will carry forward this responsibility,” he added.

Reflecting on his journey as a judge, he shared what sustained him: “What keeps you going in this role? It’s the journey itself. I’ve learned so much about law, and life, even today in handling 45 cases.”

In a moving moment, Chandrachud asked for forgiveness from anyone he may have unintentionally hurt, saying, “If I ever hurt any of you, please forgive me—it was never my intention.”

On his last day, tributes poured in from senior members of the bar and bench, honoring his impact on the Indian judiciary. Alongside his successor, Justice Khanna, and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, Chandrachud was celebrated not only for his legal expertise but also for his compassionate approach to justice.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta praised Chandrachud's balanced leadership, noting, “We won some, we lost many, but we always knew we had the chance to make our case before him.”

Mehta described Chandrachud as “the karta of the family,” capturing the dedication and fairness that marked his tenure, adding, “His presence will be deeply missed.”

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal brought emotion to the farewell, saying, “You are an extraordinary son of an extraordinary father... Dr. Chandrachud, your smile and spirit will forever be remembered.”

Sibal recognized Chandrachud’s dedication to marginalized communities, commending his leadership for showing “what dignity truly means.” These recollections brought moments of laughter and tears.

Justice Chandrachud himself was visibly moved when his colleagues, Justices Hrishikesh Roy and PS Narasimha, shared memories of working with him. Justice Roy reminisced, “He was a classmate; four of us started together.” Justice Narasimha added, “I first appeared before him as a lawyer, then sat alongside him as a judge. It was extraordinary.”

Justice Khanna, set to assume the role of Chief Justice, noted that following in Chandrachud's footsteps would be both “easy and challenging”—easy due to the changes brought under Chandrachud’s leadership, and challenging because he would no longer have the benefit of his guidance. Adding a light touch, Khanna joked, “People even abroad were curious about his ever-youthful appearance; in Australia, so many asked about his age.”

Chandrachud’s tenure, which began on November 8, 2022, ended on a note of humility and mutual respect, sentiments echoed by everyone present in the courtroom.