"If You Cry, I'll Cry": Delhi Judge Tells Daughter During Court Farewell Speech

Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju bid adieu to the Delhi High Court on Monday before taking charge of her new assignment at the Karnataka High Court.

"I'm deeply grateful to my family, my mother is here as is my daughter, for their constant support, patience and understanding," she said in her farewell speech.

She happened to turn towards her daughter, who was seen in tears. Justice Ganju whispered, "If you cry, I will cry. Don't cry." She then composed herself and continued.

"The life of a judge, all of them demands long hours of solitude, yet they have stood by me, uncomplainingly, giving me peace of mind to discharge my duties with integrity," she said, as per PTI.

"Our foremost duty must remain to the nation and to the litigants who seek relief from us, personal comfort or even the perspective of disapproval cannot outweigh the obligation we owe to the cause of justice."

"As I prepare to take up my new assignment, I carry with me the lessons and methods of my life," she added.

Justice Ganju was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court in May 2022. Justice Monga, earlier serving in the Rajasthan High Court, took oath at the Delhi High Court in July 2025.

Her transfer to the Karnataka High Court and Justice Arun Monga's to the Rajasthan High Court had drawn strong opposition from sections of the Bar, including the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) and women lawyers.

In her address, Justice Ganju said the judiciary was not merely an arbiter of disputes but a guardian of the constitutional promise of liberty, equality and justice. "It is our solemn duty to ensure that the law remains a shield for the weak and not a sword for the powerful. The confidence of the people in this institution is its greatest strength and that confidence must be preserved through integrity, independence and transparency," she said.

Thanking the Bar for their cooperation, she added, "If I was ever firm in the court, it was only in the larger interest of maintaining decorum and discipline that this noble institution demands."

Advising young lawyers, Justice Ganju urged them to uphold discipline, humility and patience, saying the true measure of an advocate lies not in the number of cases argued but in the "fairness and dignity with which they are conducted."

Justice Arun Monga, also transferred from the Delhi High Court, said in his speech that a judge's true voice is reflected not in speeches but in the "reasoning, restraint and reflection" contained in their judgments.