BAI condoles demise of noted jurist N R Madhava Menon

The Bar Association of India (BAI) has condoled the demise of noted jurist and law professor N R Madhava Menon.

Menon, 84, died at a hospital in Kerala on May 7.

"Professor Menon was a living legend during his lifetime and has now become a permanent shining and guiding star for all of us who are engaged in promoting and strengthening Indian legal education," BAI President Lalit Bhasin said in a statement.

Menon, the father of modern legal education, completed 60 years as a law teacher in 2019 and was a moving factor in setting up centres in the field of legal education, including National Law School of India University in Bengaluru.

Bhasin said Menon was invited to become a member of the Board of Advisors at BAI.

"One can say with daring certainty that no one equal the contribution made by Professor Menon single handedly to promote legal education in India. A fitting tribute was given to the contribution made by him when Fali Nariman, way back in 1996 observed that jurists like him should be elevated directly to the Supreme Court of India," he said.

The BAI requested Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to have a full court reference to recognise Menon's contribution to the field of legal education.

It also requested President Ram Nath Kovind to posthumously award Padma Vibhushan, second-highest civilian award of India, to him.

"We request bar associations and law schools/universities all over the country to incorporate Madhava Menon Memorial Lectures on subjects such as legal education, improving the standards of legal profession and the system administration of justice in India," the statement read.

He was also the founder of National University of Juridical Sciences in West Bengal and the founding director of National Judicial Academy.