Sir Chimanlal Harilal Setalvad (July 1864 – 10 December 1947) was an Indian

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdiction (area), jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include arguing cases in courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, jurisprud ...

and jurist who practised in the Bombay High Court in the early 20th century.

Life and background

Chimanlal was born in July 1864 at Bharuch, Bharuch district, then in the Bombay Presidency of

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

and now part of the state of Gujarat. The eldest of four brothers, he was born into an aristocratic '' Brahmakshatriya'' family which had achieved distinction in the law for the preceding two generations. The surname ''Setalvad'' derives from the family's origins in the Punjab, where their surname was ''Talvad''. Some Talvads who were leaders of their community became known as ''Seth – Talvads'' ("Chiefs of the Talvads") which over time become "Setalvad". In the 18th century, some Setalvads migrated to present-day Gujarat and settled around Surat, serving as paymasters in the imperial Mughal armies. Chimanlal's grandfather, Ambashankar Brijrai Setalvad (1782–1853) worked for the East India Company in the early 19th century, initially as a ''sreshtadar'' (registrar) in the '' Sadr Diwani Adalat'', the Supreme Civil Claims Court. He was subsequently appointed ''Sadr Amin'', or subordinate judge, for Ahmedabad district. Soon becoming renowned for his legal acumen, he eventually rose to Principal ''Sadr Amin'', the highest judicial post then open to non-Europeans, and held the post at the time of his death. Chimanlal's father, '' Rao Sahib'' Harilal Ambashankar Setalvad (1821–1899), also served as ''Sadr Amin'' of Ahmedabad and was awarded the title of '' Rao Sahib'' by the British government upon his retirement in 1877. He subsequently served as '' dewan'' of the salute state of Limbdi.

Career

An alumnus of Elphinstone College, Mumbai, he served as Vice-Chancellor of Bombay University and as a member of the Governor of Bombay's Executive Council. He also was founding President of Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha, established by B.R. Ambedkar in 1924. Chimanlal was recognised by Gandhi as an impartial advocate of great integrity. While in favour of independence from Britain, Chimanlal was opposed to Partition; sadly, he lived to see Partition and its accompanying horrors become a reality before his death on 10 December 1947, aged 83.

Honours

Setalvad was knighted in the 1919 New Year Honours List. He was further appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIE) in the 1924 Birthday Honours list.

Family

He was the father of M.C. Setalvad, later Attorney General of India from 1950 to 1963. His great-granddaughter is Teesta Setalvad, a noted journalist and civil rights activist.

Works

* ''Recollections & reflections, an autobiography'', Padma Publications, 1946.

In popular culture

In the film '' Gandhi (1982)'', Chimanlal Setalvad is portrayed by Habib Tanvir as a member of the Hunter Commission, in which role he cross-examines General Dyer (credited in movie as Indian Barrister).

References

External links

Chimanlal Harilal Setalvad
at the National Portrait Gallery, London {{DEFAULTSORT:Setlavad, Chimanlal Harilal 19th-century Indian lawyers 1864 births 1947 deaths Scholars from Mumbai Elphinstone College alumni Indian Knights Bachelor Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Indian knights Gujarati people 20th-century Indian lawyers Members of the Bombay Legislative Council Lawyers from British India