Swaraj Kaushal

Swaraj Kaushal (born 12 July 1952) is a Criminal lawyer practising in New Delhi. He was designated Senior Advocate by Supreme Court of India at 34. He has the distinction of being India's youngest ever Advocate General at 34 and Governor of a State at 37 years of age.

Legal career

During emergency, he defended George Fernandes in the famous Baroda dynamite case. He secured release of the underground Mizo leader Laldenga in the conspiracy trial in 1979.^[1] Thereafter, he was Constitutional Adviser to the underground Mizo National Front during negotiations with Government of India. Many years of negotiations resulted in the signing of Mizoram Peace Accord on 30 June 1986 which ended 20 years of insurgency. He was appointed the first Advocate General of Mizoram. He is one of the authors of Mizoram Accord. He is an expert on India's north east region and the insurgency problem there.^[2]

He was designated Senior Advocate by Supreme Court of India on 20 December 1986 at the young age of 34 years, a notable achievement in legal profession.^[3]

Advocate General

Mizoram became a State on 20 February 1987. In recognition of his contribution to the Mizoram Peace Accord, he was appointed the first Advocate General of Mizoram. He holds the distinction of having been the youngest ever Advocate General in the country. He ensured the return and settlement of MNF rebels who had spent 20 years in the underground.

Governor of Mizoram

He was Governor of Mizoram from 8 February 1990 - 9 February 1993. He has the honour of being India's youngest ever Governor of a State at 37 years of age. His wife Sushma Swaraj was the youngest Cabinet Minister in the country at the age of 25 in 1977.

Member of Parliament

He was a Member of Parliament during 1998-2004 representing Haryana State. During 1998-99, Sushma Swaraj was a Member of Lok Sabha and Swaraj Kaushal was a Member of Rajya Sabha. Both of them were members of Rajya Sabha during 2000-2004. There are few instances in India's Parliamentary history where husband and wife are both Members of Parliament.^[4]

Distinctions

Swaraj Kaushal is a young achiever. He became a Senior Advocate designated by Supreme Court of India at 34, Advocate General also at 34 and Governor of a State at 37 years of age.

Personal life

He married Sushma Swaraj on 13 July 1975. Their only child, Bansuri Swaraj, is a graduate from Oxford University and a Barrister from Inner Temple. She is also a Criminal lawyer practising before Delhi High Court and Supreme Court of India.

References