CJI Chandrachud felicitates cook's daughter set to pursue masters in law in US

Touched by the the gesture of the chief justice and other judges of the court, the 25-year-old Pragya said Chandrachud was an inspiration for her.

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and other Supreme Court judges on Wednesday felicitated Pragya, a law researcher and the daughter of a cook, for bagging prestigious scholarships to pursue Master's degrees in law at either the University of California or the University of Michigan in the US.

"She has truly made us proud. It is a sign of young India who has ability to work hard, they have ambition to work hard and achieve their dreams. We celebrated her achievement," Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said.

He welcomed Pragya at the judges' lounge before the start of the day's work and gave a standing ovation to the young scholar, who is the daughter of Supreme Court cook Ajay Kumar Samal.

Pragya sported a broad smile and expressed her gratitude in folded hands as Justice Chandrachud gifted her three books on the Indian Constitution signed by all the judges of the apex court.

"We know Pragya has managed something on her own, but we will ensure she manages to get whatever is required ... We expect that she should come back to serve the country," Chandrachud said after felicitating the young lawyer.

Other judges wished her luck in her future endeavours.

Chandrachud also offered shawls to Samal and his wife.

Touched by the the gesture of the CJI and other judges of the court, the 25-year-old Pragya said Chandrachud was an inspiration for her.

"With the live streaming of court hearings, everyone can watch him [Justice Chandrachud] speaking. He encourages young lawyers and his words are like gems. He is my inspiration," she said.