Beyond courtroom: India’s top legal minds share 15 books every citizen must read in 2026

Why: The autobiographies of Justices Chagla, Hidayatullah and Khanna are very inspiring. Justice Chagla’s book has a brilliant chapter on advocacy titled “the Bar” whereas Denning’s book is a brilliant exposition on the due process of law. Moreover, the language is so simple.

2) Senior Advocate Justice S Muralidhar (Former Chief Justice and Judge) 

Senior advocate S Muralidhar is a former Chief Justice of Orissa High Court and judge of the Delhi High Court. (Image enhanced using AI)

Book: Before Memory Fades by Fali S Nariman

Why: In his Autobiography Before Memory Fades, Fali S Nariman tells the story, from his childhood to his Bombay High Court, and continues to present his experiences as he rose to higher positions.

Book: The Indian Constitution: Conversations with Power by Gautam Bhatia

Why: It takes a new approach in discussing the constitution as how it creates, shapes, channels, and constrains power. It depicts the picture of how the 75 years of constitutionalism in India have been characterised by different factors, ranging from legislation to the judiciary.

The Crisis of the Indian Legal System by Upendra Baxi

Why: In his book, Baxi argued that the legal system did not adequately address issues and needed restructuring to be more responsive to the people’s needs and aspirations. However, since then, the government and judiciary have taken steps to bolster the system through acts and activist rulings expanding rights.

3) Senior advocate Madhavi Divan

Madhavi Divan is a Senior Advocate and a former Additional Solicitor General of India.

Books: Annihilation of caste by B R Ambedkar;

Dethroned : Patel, Menon and The Integration of Princely India by John Zubrzycki;

Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia by Sam Dalrymple;

Listening to the Law: Reflections on the Court and Constitution by Amy Coney Barrett;

Indian Summer: The Secret History of the End of an Empire by Alex von Tunzelmann

Why: I would certainly recommend reading books other than strictly on the law. Lawyers tend to be far too immersed in the law itself, but since legal issues and particularly constitutional issues have so much to do with the world outside and society as a whole that young lawyers should read outside of the law.

It is also very important to read about the political unification of India, a story that we are never taught about in high school. Everything ends at independence, and no one tells us the enormous struggle and skill involved in stitching together this grand union that became India as we know it.

Another recent good read was Shattered Lands by Sam Dalrymple, the story of five partitions. It certainly lends perspective that we never got as students in India.

4) Advocate Vrinda Grover

Advocate Vrinda Grover is a lawyer, researcher, and human rights and women’s rights activist based in New Delhi. (File Photo)

5) Senior Advocate Vikas Singh (Supreme Court Bar Association president)

Vikas Singh is a Senior Advocate practising in the Supreme Court of India and president of the Supreme Court Bar Association. (Image enhanced using AI)

Book: Constitutional Law of India by H M Seervai

Why: Seervai’s Constitutional Law of India analysed the constitution by giving justification for why the constituent assembly brought in the particular article, and the constitution being the overarching law of the entire country, I think that’s the most important document for any student to read.

Book: Administrative Law by MP Jain

Why: Singh said administrative law applies in every field, and it helps in finding a solution to any illegality. He said administrative law applies in every field, so if you want to challenge any decision of the government or if there is any illegality happening, then ultimately, administrative law helps you to find a solution.

6) Senior advocate Sajan Poovayya

Sajan Poovayya is a distinguished lawyer with over two decades of extensive experience across diverse legal domains. (Photo: LinkedIn Profile)

Book: The Rule of Law by Lord Tom Bingham

Why: This book lays the moral and constitutional foundation of the legal profession. Written with clarity and authority by one of the greatest minds of modern times.

Book: Letters to a Young Lawyer by Adam Grant

Why: It addresses ethics, judgment, professional identity, and the human side of being a lawyer, issues often absent from textbooks but critical to long-term fulfilment and integrity in the profession.

7) Senior Advocate Siddhartha Dave

Siddhartha Dave is a Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India. (Image enhanced using AI)

Books: A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell and The Bhagavad Gita

Why: Senior Advocate Siddhartha Dave said that much of reading depends on the individual’s predilection, but to be a complete lawyer, a person must have vast knowledge.

The reason why I am suggesting these two is that incalculable conflicts will arise in the mind of a lawyer throughout their journey. Innumerable questions will arise as to whether a particular path that is chosen in a case is correct or not. There are no right or wrong answers to them. Philosophy is what will help provide not only answers but solace to the person.

Together, these recommendations underline that law is not merely about statutes and precedents, but about conscience, context, and courage. For young lawyers, such reading promises not only professional competence but also ethical depth, historical awareness, and the wisdom needed to navigate an increasingly complex legal world.