#Books : Late Justice Leila Seth - A woman of pure strength

As a student of Political Science, I bought On Balance An Autobiography by Leila Seth out of curiosity to know more about Indian Judiciary. I was fascinated by Late Justice Leila Seth being the First woman Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Being a mother to three wonderfully accomplished children Vikram Seth a renowned author, Shantum Seth a Buddhist teacher and Aaradhna Seth an artist and a filmmaker. A year ago I read an article published in 2014 on Justice Leila Seth publicly condemning Section 377 and getting in terms with her eldest son and a renowned author Vikram Seth’s homosexuality. I wanted to know more about her journey I was absolutely certain that there was more to this woman and in order to feed my curiosity, I bought this book.

Late Justice Leila Seth took up writing her autobiography when she met with an accident and ended up with multiple fractures and she dedicates the autobiography to her Husband Premo and Her granddaughters Nandini and Anamika. She starts with the first chapter titled Mother Tongue starting with the great news of her birth and the happiness of her birth in the family and how progressive her parents were and welcomed her in this world in the early nineties. This chapter is a truly a reader’s delight. She writes about her childhood days were the happiest spent with her parents. She writes about her life in boarding school and shares the letters written to her parents and subsequently the tragic death of her father when she was in her school days. Her Father’s death had adverse consequences on their lifestyle and subsequently her mother emphasizing strong values in raising her and her two brothers in order to make them independent.

While reading about her childhood days to my mind She didn’t really seem focused or determined or with the vision for her herself. She writes about exploring and just enjoying learning and her love for literature and getting married to her husband Premo. She has written extensively about her husband Premo and the reader can later realize the significant role her husband played in her life. She writes about him being an orphan and how extraordinarily hardworking he was. As the reading progresses it is interesting to know that she took up Bar Council Exam in the UK after her marriage and while she was in the UK  with her Husband for a period of three years and securing the First Place and a gold medal that truly boosted her confidence. She writes about coming back to India and the challenges she faced as a woman and the discrimination that she had to face for years as Lawyer however with a no-nonsense attitude. She writes about working harder and constantly trying to strike a balance between her professional role and her role as a mother and a wife and striving to be successful in each role she played. Her dedication is remarkable. She writes about instilling values in her children and giving them space to explore and to make their choices. She writes about her assignments as a lawyer and as the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court followed by being the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court and her years and post-retirement.

I was enamored with her comfort with volatility with her Husband’s transfers and one can understand how change has been an essential part of her growth. While reading Justice Leila Seth’s autobiography I could feel her presence, she sitting next to me and narrating her life. I always had mixed feelings of happiness, grief, and pride while reading her journey. To my mind, this autobiography is not only about Leila Seth but both She and her husband, it is a journey of two people who are progressive, who stood with each other when tested by adversities, who spend most of their income on the education of their children, who are ambitious, but also with strong values and for whom their reputation is above all. No wonder she dedicated the book to her Husband Premo. From what I understand she went with the flow all her life with sincerity and complete dedication in all the roles she played. What I admire the most is not only her ability to strike a balance but also to be thoughtful and to have a clear sense of herself as to who she was taking her role as Chief Justice seriously and her remarkable progress post-retirement in delivering lectures and being a board member for various Social Organizations.

This is a story of the First woman Chief Justice of Delhi High Court yet a story of a woman who like many middle class women, thought of about her work, her husband, her family, about how she would make the ends meet, how she could give the best education to her children, how she could fulfill the expectations at her workplace being the first woman she definitely had to work hard to prove herself and that reflected in her work in her thoughtful judgements yet she never compromised on her morals she stood firm and upfront with righteousness which reflects in the book.

Reading this autobiography has been a journey of one week that I will cherish. This is one of those books that makes you tearful and overwhelmed and I have only grown to respect strength above power. As a 19-year-old I have developed an instant connection with Late Justice Leila Seth. Her life is truly a testimony of a woman with pure strength and a clear sense of herself. As a 19-year-old she gives me hope to lead a life with integrity and dignity and definitely never take my freedom for granted and a sense of service.

Lastly concluding with my favorite excerpts from this book in her own immortal words that had a profound influence on me.

But then I force myself to remember that a country is great or a world is livable not because it has a few great people but a large number of good people doing their own work diligently and well and in the spirit of service. To aspire to be good to the best of one’s ability is, if not heroic, at least honorable. Justice Felix Frankfurter said: ‘No office in the land is more important than being a good citizen.’ (I tell myself this as I sit through certain committee meetings.) It is enough if the friendly postman delivers the mail promptly, the policeman is fair and impartial, and the politician acts honestly. As Romola Lahiry wrote in my autograph book when I was sixteen:

Small service is true service while it lasts.

Of Friends, however humble, scorn not one,

The daisy by the shadow that it casts,

Shelters the lingering dew-drop from the sun.

Photo Courtesy : Melleniumpost.in