"No one can challenge his personality. He is a man of ethics. He encouraged his juniors and never made a distinction between senior and junior. Take my case. I have known him for years. Despite having attained remarkable success in such a short period, he has not changed a bit. He has been very friendly whenever we have come across each other," says the advocate.

When asked about any significant verdict delivered by Justice Balakrishnan that he would consider as path-breaking, Radhakrishnan said: "See, there is nothing like a major or minor verdict. Every verdict is significant in the context of the case. It is just the way that the verdict is projected that we tend to assign a significant or less-significant tag. The media projects judgments, which it considers important. Sometimes, this is why verdicts that deserve importance are left out in the cold."

Senior high court advocate T P Kelu Nambiar has been tracking Balakrishnan's success for years now. Advocate Nambiar and Justice Balakrishnan share a special relation -- that of a teacher and student.

"He was my student in the law college in Ernakulam, where I used to deliver part-time lectures. Balakrishnan was a very quiet student. His presence in the room could not be felt at any given time. However, it was not because he was lost in his own world but because he was very attentive and studious.

"I believe that three things helped Balakrishnan reach where he is today.
1. The community he was part of.
2. His good fortune.
3. The help of then Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran.

"His dedication brought him rewards. He ranked first in college for his Masters in Law. He went on to be appointed as a munsif judge in a court in North Paravur after clearing a Public Service Examination in 1973. In those days, the munsif judges were elected though PSC examinations," Nambiar says.

Image: Senior advocate T P Kelu Nambiar taught Justice Balakrishnan at the Ernakulam Law College.

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