https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=K._K._VenugopalK. K. Venugopal - Revision history2026-08-18T06:54:14ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=K._K._Venugopal&diff=471858&oldid=prevAranyam: typo fix2025-11-19T01:46:30Z<p>typo fix</p>
<a href="//en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=K._K._Venugopal&diff=471858&oldid=276626">Show changes</a>Aranyamhttps://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=K._K._Venugopal&diff=276626&oldid=prev->Ken Gallager: cat sort by article title2021-12-03T16:43:34Z<p>cat sort by article title</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian constitutional lawyer}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}<br />
{{Infobox officeholder<br />
| name = K. K. Venugopal<br />
| image = Kottayan Katankot Venugopal, K K Venugopal.jpg<br />
| caption =<br />
<br />
| birth_name = Kottayan Katankot Venugopal<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1931|09|06|df=yes}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Kanhangad]], [[South Canara]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]<br>(present day [[Kasaragod district|Kasaragod]], [[Kerala]], India)<br />
| nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]<br />
| alma_mater = {{Unbulleted_list|[[Raja Lakhamgouda Law College|Raja Lakhamgouda Law College, Belgaum]]|[[St. Aloysius College, Mangaluru]]|[[Madras Christian College|Madras Christian College, Chennai]]}}<br />
| occupation = Lawyer<br />
| spouse = Shantha Venugopal<br />
| children = 3<br />
| parents = {{Unbulleted_list|M. K. Nambiar|Kalyani Nambiar}}<br />
<br />
| office1 = 15th [[Attorney General of India]]<br />
| term_start1 = {{Start date|2017|07|01|df=yes}}<br />
| term_end1 = <br />
| primeminister1 = [[Narendra Modi]]<br />
| predecessor1 = [[Mukul Rohatgi]]<br />
| successor1 = <br />
<br />
| awards = {{Unbulleted_list|[[Padma Vibhushan]] (2015)|[[Padma Bhushan]] (2002)}}<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Kottayan Katankot Venugopal''' (born 6 September 1931) is an Indian constitutional lawyer and a [[Senior Counsel|senior advocate]] in the [[Supreme Court of India]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090206114949/http://hindu.com/2009/02/02/stories/2009020254821000.htm Constitutional experts criticise CEC’s decision]</ref> On 1 July 2017, he was appointed as the [[Attorney General of India]].<ref>https://www.barandbench.com/amp/story/news/i-will-be-90-by-the-time-this-one-year-will-be-over-kk-venugopal-law-minister-ravi-shankar-prasad-speaks-on-attorney-generals-extension</ref> He is Patron of SAARCLAW (A regional apex body of [[SAARC]]) and earlier has been its President.<ref>https://www.legaleraonline.com/distinguished-legal-mind-of-india/kk-venugopal-317</ref> He is founder of M K Nambyar SAARCLAW Centre For Advanced Legal Studies at the NALSAR Law University.<ref>https://www.nalsar.ac.in/m-k-nambyar-saarclaw-centre-advanced-legal-studies</ref><br />
<br />
==Early and personal life==<br />
Venugopal was born in a [[Nair]] family to M. K. Nambiar and Kalyani Nambiar in [[Kanhangad]], a town in the erstwhile [[South Canara]] district of [[Madras Presidency]] of [[British India]] (present-day [[Kerala]], India), and grew up in [[Mangalore]].<br />
<br />
Venugopal did his [[Bachelor of Science|B.Sc]] in Physics from the prestigious [[Madras Christian College|Madras Christian College, Chennai]] and law from [[Raja Lakhamgouda Law College|Raja Lakhamgouda Law College, Belgaum]]. Venugopal has also studied at [[St. Aloysius College, Mangaluru]].<br />
<br />
==Career==<br />
{{expand section|date=January 2015}}<br />
Venugopal served as President of the [[Union Internationale des Avocats]] (UIA - International Association of Lawyers) from 1996 to 1997. <br />
<br />
Venugopal has appeared in many high-profile cases. Most significantly, he was appointed by the [[Royal Government of Bhutan]] to serve as the Constitutional adviser for drafting of the [[Constitution of Bhutan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/meet-86-yr-old-kk-venugopal-who-replaces-mukul-rohatgi-as-attorney-general-117063001103_1.html|title=Meet 86-yr-old KK Venugopal, who replaces Mukul Rohatgi as Attorney General}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/YyBZ0VOaCHPvfcAKngXjsJ/Aadhaar-triple-talaq-immediate-challenges-for-new-attorney.html|title=Aadhaar, triple talaq immediate challenges for new attorney general KK Venugopal}}</ref> On 30 June 2017, he was appointed as the [[Attorney General of India]] under the leadership of Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]]. The 88-year-old succeeded Mukul Rohatgi, who stepped down after the first term. Venugopal held the office of Additional Solicitor General in [[Janata government|Morarji Desai’s Government]]. He has appeared in a variety of cases in the last 50 years. Venugopal was appointed as amicuscuriae to assist the Supreme Court in the high profile [[2G spectrum case]].<br />
<br />
He also appeared for the BJP leader [[L. K. Advani]] in the [[Demolition of the Babri Masjid]] case.<br />
<br />
==Honours==<br />
In 2015, he was conferred [[Padma Vibhushan]] award by the [[Government of India]]. This is the second-highest civilian honour in India. In 2002, he was awarded [[Padma Bhushan]], the third-highest civilian honour.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6U68ulwpb?url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 November 2014 }}</ref><br />
<br />
==Opinion on judicial reforms==<br />
{{See also|Judiciary of India}}<br />
Venugopal is one of the main advocates for judicial reforms in India. He is against the creation of regional benches of the [[Supreme Court of India]]. Instead, he recommends that Courts of Appeal be established in the four regions of the country, who finally decide on appeals from the High Court judgments in all cases other than cases of national importance which affect the whole country, disputes between States or between States and the Centre, [[Presidential reference]]s and substantial questions of law relating to interpretation of the Constitution. This will relieve the burden on Supreme Court.<ref name="Conversation with Constitutional Law Expert and Senior Advocate KK Venugopal">{{cite news|title=Conversation with Constitutional Law Expert and Senior Advocate KK Venugopal |url=http://barandbench.com/brief/4/2698/conversation-with-constitutional-law-expert-and-senior-advocate-kk-venugopal |access-date=6 September 2012 |newspaper=Bar & Bench |date=17 August 2012 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6AUC5u3Qy?url=http://barandbench.com/brief/4/2698/conversation-with-constitutional-law-expert-and-senior-advocate-kk-venugopal |archive-date= 6 September 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
{{Padma Vibhushan Awards}}<br />
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2000–09}}<br />
{{Attorney-General for India}}<br />
{{Padma Award winners of Kerala}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Venugopal, K.K.}}<br />
[[Category:1931 births]]<br />
[[Category:Living people]]<br />
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in public affairs]]<br />
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in public affairs]]<br />
[[Category:Attorneys General of India]]<br />
[[Category:Supreme Court of India lawyers]]<br />
[[Category:Scholars from Mangalore]]<br />
[[Category:Indian barristers]]<br />
[[Category:Union Internationale des Avocats]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian lawyers]]<br />
[[Category:21st-century Indian lawyers]]<br />
[[Category:University of Madras alumni]]</div>->Ken Gallager