New CJI’s native village upbeat

As Justice Tirath Singh Thakur took the oath as the Chief Justice of India (CJI) at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Thursday, there was jubilation at his native Batru village in Ramban district, where he was born in 1952. “People are upbeat here and have been holding celebrations since the announcement of his elevation was made. He will be felicitated on his visit here,” said Niranjan Singh, Justice Thakur’s cousin.

“Except the past few years due to his busy schedule, he has been visiting Batru every year along with his family. He enjoys spending time in the village and meeting locals,” said his cousin, Jaswant Singh Katoch.

Villagers said like his father, late Justice Durga Dass Thakur, who was Deputy Chief Minister of J&K and Governor of Assam and Tripura, the CJI too had been contributing towards the development of the area. “He has organised medical camps and built 200 free toilets besides a skill development centre through an NGO,” said Mohammad Akhter, a local. Justice Thakur had studied up to Class III at Government Primary School, Batru, and up to Class VIII at Government Higher Secondary School, Ramban. He did BSc and LLB from Jammu University.