The humility of Sir Grimwood Mears By Justice Katju

During British rule there were many British Judges in the Indian High Courts, the Chief Justice invariably being a Britisher. 

One of such Chief Justices was Sir Grimwood Mears ( 1869-1963 ), who was Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court from 1919-1929.

He was known to be a very patient, modest, and erudite judge. 

Once when he was sitting in his Courtroom in a bench with an Indian judge, a litigant was sitting in the courtroom with a turban on. Sir Grimwood thought this was gross impertinence, and he asked his Court staff to tell the man to remove his turban. When the man refused, Sir Grimwood told his Court staff to remove the man from the courtroom, which was done. 

In the lunch interval, his brother judge on the bench told Sir Grimwood ” Chief, you misunderstood that man whom you sent out of the courtroom. He was showing you respect, not disrespect. In your country, to show respect to someone one takes off his hat, cap, or whatever head dress he is wearing. In India to show respect one does the reverse. He puts on his head dress, and never appears without it “.

On hearing this, Sir Grimwood became very upset, and said ” I am sorry I did not know that. I must make immediate amends. I insulted the man in open Court, so I must apologize to him in open Cout “. 

Having said this, he sent his court staff to search for the man, and request him to come to the courtroom after the lunch interval. 

When the man appeared, Sir Grimwood profusely apologized to him, and said he did not know many of the customs of India, because of which he committed such a wrong act. He repeatedly said to the man ( in the little Hindi he knew ) ” Mujhe maaf kar deejiye “.

Do Indian judges of today possess such humility ?