Gopal Subramanium
Gopal Subramanium | |
|---|---|
| Solicitor General | |
| In office 15 June 2009 – 14 July 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Goolam Essaji Vahanvati |
| Succeeded by | Rohinton Fali Nariman |
| Additional Solicitor General | |
| In office 2005–2009 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1957 or 1958 (age 67–68) |
| Citizenship | Indian |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Hansraj College, Delhi Faculty of Law, University of Delhi |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Gopal Subramanium (born c. 1958) is an Indian lawyer, international arbitrator, and Senior Advocate who practices primarily in the Supreme Court of India and the Delhi High Court. He has served as the Solicitor General of India from 2009 to 2011 and Additional Solicitor General of India from 2005 to 2009. He also served as Chairman of the Bar Council of India from 2010 to 2011.[1][2][3]
Early life and education
[edit]Subramanium was born in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He studied at St. Xavier's School, Delhi. He did his B.Sc. (Hons.) degree at Hansraj College, Delhi. He then completed his degree in Law from the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi.[4]
Legal career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Subramanium started his legal career with Shardul S. Shroff in Delhi in 1980. He appeared as counsel for the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, often traveling to these states for hearings.[4]
He then worked under D. P. Wadhwa and subsequently with former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee.
In May 1993, Subramanium was designated as a Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court. He was one of the youngest advocate in the Supreme Court's history.[4][5]
His legal work has included roles in several commissions and proceedings. Between 1991 and 1992, he served as counsel to a commission headed by J. S. Verma that examined security lapses related to the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.[6] In 1993, he acted as prosecuting counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation in cases relating to the Bombay bomb blasts, and continued to be associated with related proceedings during subsequent appeals.[4]
Between 1994 and 1995, he was appointed by the Supreme Court as a special commissioner to examine issues concerning the detention of individuals in mental health institutions in Assam.[7] In 2001, he served as counsel to a commission led by K. Venkataswami, which inquired into defence-related corruption allegations arising from investigative reporting.[8] He also served as Special Public Prosecutor in proceedings related to the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament.[9]
From 2005 to 2009, Subramanium held the office of Additional Solicitor General of India, before being appointed Solicitor General in 2009.[10]
Solicitor General of India
[edit]Subramanium served as Solicitor General of India 2009–2011. During his tenure he also served as the Chairman of the Bar Council of India. In his role as a senior law officer, he represented the Government of India in matters involving constitutional and criminal law. During his tenure, he appeared in several cases before the Supreme Court of India. These included proceedings related to the prosecution of Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving terrorist of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.[10] He also represented the Union of India in Ashoka Kumar Thakur v. Union of India, which concerned reservations for Other Backward Classes.[11]
He appeared on behalf of the Government of India in litigation relating to the allocation of 2G spectrum to telecom operators.[12] In Raja Ram Pal v. Speaker, he represented the Union of India in proceedings concerning parliamentary privilege.[13]
In 2011, he assisted the Supreme Court as amicus curiae in Bachpan Bachao Andolan v. Union of India, which addressed issues related to child trafficking.[14]
Resignation as Solicitor General
[edit]In 2011, Subramanium chose to resign from his position as Solicitor General in protest of the government's decision to field a private lawyer, Rohinton Fali Nariman, in a telecommunications case before the Supreme Court. In July 2011, the Ministry of Law and Justice appointed Nariman as the Solicitor General of India for a period of three years.[15]
His resignation occurred during a period when the Supreme Court delivered judgments in matters relating to black money investigations, including directions for the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT),[16] and in the Salwa Judum case, which examined the constitutionality of the appointment of Special Police Officers.[15]
Subramanium said he will never take the job of Solicitor General again because it defies convention. Former corporate lobbyist Nira Radia described Subramanium as "a very upright person" in a 2009 conversation with Ratan Tata, which emerged as a part of the leaked Radia tapes.[17]
Legal work 2011–2015
[edit]Between 2011 and 2015, Subramanium assisted the Supreme Court of India as amicus curiae in several matters, including proceedings related to the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.[10]
He appeared in cases concerning arbitration law, including Bharat Aluminium Co. v. Kaiser Aluminium Technical Services Inc. (2012), which addressed issues relating to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 to foreign-seated arbitrations, and Sundaram Finance Ltd. v. NEPC India Ltd. (1999), which dealt with interim relief in arbitration proceedings.[4]
In 2013, he represented Novartis AG, along with T. R. Andhyarujina, in Novartis AG v. Union of India, a case concerning patent protection for a pharmaceutical product Glivec.[18]
During the same period, he was a member of a committee chaired by Justice J. S. Verma that recommended amendments to criminal law following public debates on legal protections for women and children.[4]
In 2014, his name was among those recommended by the Supreme Court collegium for appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court of India; he subsequently withdrew his candidature following media reports of objections raised during the appointment process due to his alleged links with corporate lobbyist Nira Radia.[19]
In 2015, he appeared before the Supreme Court in proceedings relating to a bail application filed by Mohammed Nisham. The businessman was accused of running over a security guard with his Hummer SUV over a delay in opening the gates of his apartment. On October 9, 2015, the SC bench led by Justice Dipak Misra dismissed the bail application.[20] In the same year, he appeared in Devidas Ramachandra Tuljapurkar v. State of Maharashtra, a case concerning issues of artistic and literary expression.[4]
Legal work (2016–present)
[edit]Since 2016, Subramanium has appeared in matters concerning constitutional and commercial law. He represented the Government of Delhi in proceedings relating to the distribution of powers between the Delhi Government, the Union Government, and the Lieutenant Governor.[4]
In 2017, he appeared for the petitioners in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India where in which a nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India recognized the right to privacy as a fundamental right under the Constitution.[4]
He has also represented corporate clients in commercial disputes, including appearing for Daiichi Sankyo in enforcement proceedings before the Delhi High Court concerning an arbitral award.[21]
Between 2016 and 2019, he assisted the Supreme Court as amicus curiae in BCCI v. Cricket Association of Bihar, which addressed the implementation of recommendations relating to cricket administration in India.[22]
In 2019, he served as a member of an arbitral tribunal presided over by R. S. Pathak in a dispute between Transammonia AG and MMTC Limited.[4]
In May 2020, he became the first Indian Senior Counsel to appear before the Singapore Supreme Court.[23] In the same year, he appeared as senior counsel for Amazon in the Future Retail-Amazon case.[24]
In 2021, Subramanium was called to the Bar of England and Wales at Gray's Inn.[25] In October 2021, Subramanium was appointed an Honorary Fellow at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law.[26]
Appointments and affiliations
[edit]During his tenure as Chairman of the Bar Council of India, Subramanium was associated with the introduction of the All India Bar Examination, a qualifying test for law graduates seeking to practice in India.[27]
His arbitration work has included appearances as lead counsel for Indian companies in international and domestic proceedings, including those conducted under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce, as well as participation as an expert on Indian law in international arbitration forums such as the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.[4]
He has been involved in cases before the Supreme Court of India and various High Courts relating to arbitration law, including matters concerning the appointment of arbitrators, arbitrability of disputes, and challenges to arbitral awards across sectors such as infrastructure and defence contracts.
Subramanium has held positions including supplementary judge at the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre and honorary bencher at Gray's Inn. He has also been associated with the barristers' chambers 3 Verulam Buildings.[4]
Academia
[edit]Subramanium has written and spoken on topics related to legal philosophy, including democracy, social inequality, and civic education. His work has also explored the relationship between psychology and legal concepts.
He has been associated with academic discussions on mental health, including conditions such as clinical depression, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia.[3]
In August 2020, he established the Subramanium Study Centre in Oxford, based at the Prince of Wales International Centre for SANE Research. The centre focuses on interdisciplinary research in law and mental health, bringing together perspectives from multiple fields.[28]
Subramanium contributed to and edited Supreme But Not Infallible: Essays in Honour of the Supreme Court of India, published by Oxford University Press in 2004, which examines the functioning of the Supreme Court of India.[29]
He has served as a visiting professor at the University of Delhi and has delivered lectures at institutions including the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and Harvard University.[30][31]
In October 2021, he was inducted into the Chancellor's Court of Benefactors at the University of Oxford.[32]
Philanthropy
[edit]Subramanium has supported academic and cultural initiatives, including contributions to Somerville College, University of Oxford, where he has funded postgraduate scholarships for students from India. In 2019, he was elected a Foundation Fellow of the college.[33]
He established the Gopal Subramanium Scholarships at Somerville College to support postgraduate study in legal policy. He has also supported institutional activities such as a choir tour to India in 2018.
Subramanium has been associated with organisations including the Southbank Centre, the mental health charity SANE, and the All India Heart Foundation in honorary or patronage roles.[3]
Awards and recognition
[edit]In 2009, Subramanium received the National Law Day Award from the President of India, for his contributions and adherence to the highest traditions of the Bar.[34]
He has been involved in a range of legal matters, including representing the Union of India in proceedings relating to a dispute between Reliance Industries and Reliance Natural Resources Limited before the Supreme Court of India.
He also appeared as Special Public Prosecutor on the high-profile murder case of Jessica Lal case.[35] He was associated with initiatives concerning judicial administration, "National Consultation for Strengthening the Judiciary towards Reducing Pendency and Delays" and establishment of "Society for Delivery of Justice and Legal Reform".[36]
In 2013, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Law from the Central University of Orissa, Koraput for his contributions.[37]
Comments about his professional work have appeared in public sources, including statements by Fali Nariman regarding developments in legal practice such as the introduction of bar examinations.[38]
References
[edit]- ^ "Gopal Subramanium appointed solicitor general". The Times of India. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
- ^ Venkatesan, J (11 July 2011). "SG: I quit to protect dignity of my office". The Hindu. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
- ^ a b c Subramanium, The Academic Office of Gopal. "Biography". gopalsubramanium.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "3VB". www.3vb.com. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ Singh, Mohit (18 November 2025). "Senior Advocates - Supreme Court of India". One Law Street. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ^ "The Tribune".
- ^ "Sheila Barse vs Union Of India And Ors". 3 October 1994.
- ^ "The end and the means".
- ^ Mandhana, Niharika (29 August 2012). "In Conversation With: Prosecutor Gopal Subramanium". India Ink. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ a b c "Gopal Subramanium is new Solicitor General". Zee News. 15 June 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ^ "Ashoka Kumar Thakur vs Union Of India & Ors".
- ^ "2G case: CBI officers met Raja's lawyer in solicitor general's office".
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Media focusing on tycoons, ignoring child rights: Supreme court". 9 February 2010.
- ^ a b "Govt barbs force solicitor general Gopal Subramanium to put in papers". The Times of India. 10 July 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "'Solicitor-General Gopal Subramanium's stand on black money had irked government'". Economic Times. 13 July 2011. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ^ Venkatesan, J. (27 June 2014). "Shanti Bhushan slams govt. on Gopal Subramanium issue". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ "Supreme Court rejects Novartis patent plea for cancer drug Glivec".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "Gopal Subramaniam withdraws candidature for SC judge post". The News Minute. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ "Hummer case shows rich getting egocentric: Supreme Court". The Indian Express. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ Era, Legal (4 June 2020). "Gopal Subramanium and P&A Law Offices win for Daiichi Sankyo in Singapore Supreme Court against Ranbaxy promoters". www.legaleraonline.com. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ "Board Of Control For Cricket v. Cricket Association Of Bihar And Others | Supreme Court Of India | Judgment | Law | CaseMine". www.casemine.com. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- ^ Saxena, Akshita (29 May 2020). "Gopal Subramanium, First Indian Senior Counsel To Appear Before The Singapore Supreme Court, Wins Appeal In the Daiichi - Ranbaxy Matter". www.livelaw.in. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ Biju, Rintu Mariam. "CCI decision to probe Amazon is in flagrant violation of Competition Act: Gopal Subramanium to Karnataka High Court". Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ Reception (24 March 2021). "Congratulations Hilary Call 2021". ~ Gray's Inn. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ "BIICL Announces new honorary Fellow". www.biicl.org. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ^ "Gopal Subramanium: Lawyer who argued big-ticket cases with a 'British' accent". The Financial Express. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ Subramanium, The Academic Office of Gopal. "Study Centre". gopalsubramanium.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ Kirpal, B. N.; Desai, Ashok H.; Subramanian, Gopal; Dhavan, Rajeev; Ramchandran, Raju (14 October 2004). Supreme But Not Infallible: Essays in Honour of the Supreme Court of India. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-567226-8.
- ^ Subramanium, The Academic Office of Gopal. "Writing & Speeches | Gopal Subramanium". gopalsubramanium.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ "Democracy and Due Process: Leveraging the Law for a Just Outcome". Harvard CLP. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- ^ "Chancellor's Court meeting a virtual success". www.development.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ^ "Somerville College honours Gopal Subramanium with Foundation Fellowship". Somerville College Oxford. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ "Gopal Subramanium". Somerville College Oxford. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ "Jessica Lall murder case: Chronology of events". The Hindu. PTI. 19 April 2010. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ "Strengthening the Justice Delivery System: Tools and Techniques" (PDF).
- ^ "Gopal Subramaniam gets honorary doctorate | Sambad English". 31 August 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ Bench, Bar &. "In Conversation with the living legend of law – Fali Sam Nariman". Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news. Retrieved 23 February 2021.