Few jurists have wielded an influence  so momentous on the Constitutional thought and history of India as Nani Ardeshir Palkhivala. Endowed with fecundity of thought, legal acumen, in depth knowledge of the Constitutions of the world and amazing eloquence, he assiduously guarded the sanctity of the Constitution and emerged as the unquestioned champion of Fundamental Rights and people's liberties. With his rapier-like arguments, he prevailed upon the Full Bench of thirteen judges of the Supreme Court that the Constitution of India which guaranteed fundamental freedoms to the people, was supreme and Parliament had no power to abridge those rights. This led to the historic pronouncement that though Parliament could amend the Constitution, it had no right to alter its basic structure in the case known as Kesavananda Bharati vs. State of Kerala in  April1973.

Born on 16 January, 1920 at Mumbai, Palkhivala was a man of many parts. A lawyer by profession, he was  a fellow and later Honorary Professor of the Government Law College, Mumbai for many years. He was a member of the First & Second Law Commissions of India in 1955 & 1958 respectively. He was elected Honorary Member of the Academy of Political Science, New York, for his "outstanding public service and distinguished contributions to the advancement of political science" in 1975. In September 1977, Palkhivala  was  appointed  Ambassador of India to the United States of America. In recognition of his contributions to the defence of Constitutional liberties and human rights, he was conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws in 1978 by the Princeton University, New Jersey, USA and Honorary Degree of Law by the Lawrence University, Wisconsin, USA.

Palkhivala became a phenomenon in Indian public life with his Union  Budget lectures - the largest ever public meetings on an economic subject. Beginning in  1958, his talks on the subject became an annual feature in Mumbai and other places till he last spoke on the subject in March 1994. As an author, his books on taxation, constitutional law and on India's heritage, have become bywords on the subjects. His noted works include 'The Law and Practice of Income Tax', 'Taxation in India' (published by the Harvard University in the World Tax Series), 'The Highest Taxed Nation', 'Our Constitution Defaced and Defiled', 'India's Priceless Heritage', and 'We, the People'.

In his long and distinguished career with the Tata Group spanning four decades, Palkhivala was Chairman of Tata Consultancy Services, Tata International Ltd., Tata Infotech Ltd., the Associated Cement Companies Ltd., and was Director of Tata Sons Ltd., and several other companies. In addition to his dedicated involvement with corporate activities, he was the president of the Forum of Free Enterprise, Chairman of the Leslie Sawhny Programme of Training for Democracy, Chairman of the A.D. Shroff Memorial Trust, President of the Income-Tax Appellate Tribunal Bar Association, Mumbai, and a trustee of other charitable  trusts.

In 1997, Palkhivala was conferred the Dadabhai Naoroji Memorial Award for advancing the interests of India by his contribution towards public education, economic affairs and constitutional law. In January 1998, he was honoured by the Government of India with the second highest Civilian Award-Padma Vibhushan. The Mumbai University also conferred upon him Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D.).

Nani Palkhivala passed away on 11 December, 2002 and in his death, the country lost an illustrious jurist, an exemplary humanist and redoubtable champion of freedom.

The Department of Posts honours this outstanding citizen through the release of a commemorative postage stamp.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India