In this talk Justice V. Ramasubramanian talks about the ancient Indian nyayshastra and draws parallels to the contemporary system of justice. He delves into various topics related to justice and law starting from the reason for lawyers wearing black and a parallel story related to King Rama and Vibhishana. The discussion further explores the four goals of human life, the role of dharma in reaching those goals and fourteen branches of learning necessary to understand Dharma. He also talks about the sources of law in ancient times and the codification of DharmaShastras by eighteen Rishis are examined, along with methods for resolving conflicts outlined in Smritis. The significance of Manusmriti in jurisprudence and the appointment of judges as per Dharmashastras are highlighted. Additionally, Kautilya’s Arthashastra and Nyayshastra are explored for insights into conflict resolution and the evolution of ancient law compared to contemporary legal systems.

About the Speaker:
V. Ramasubramanian, served as a judge in various Indian courts, including the Supreme Court, Himachal Pradesh High Court, Madras High Court, and Telangana High Court. He retired from the Supreme Court on June 29, 2023. Ramasubramanian initially practiced law after graduating in Chemistry and studying Law. He became a permanent Judge at the Madras High Court in 2009, later transferring to the High Court at Hyderabad. In 2019, he became Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court before being appointed as a Supreme Court Judge the same year.