Lucknow: The use of English and Hindi is common in India’s courts. However, in the city of Kashi, which is considered the city of the gods, there is a lawyer who uses only Sanskrit in the courtroom. He also presents his arguments in Sanskrit. It is noteworthy that Kashi’s senior advocate, Acharya Shyam Ji Upadhyay, has been fighting cases in Sanskrit for not just one or two, but for 46 years. Acharya Shyam Ji Upadhyay claims that he has never faced defeat in any case so far.
Presents arguments in Sanskrit
When Acharya Shyam Ji Upadhyay presents his arguments in Sanskrit in the courtroom, even the most experienced lawyers start sweating. Most lawyers are completely at a loss. Many times, even the judges become confused in the courtroom, which leads to the need for a translator during the hearings. For the last 46 years, Acharya Shyam Ji Upadhyay has been fighting cases in Sanskrit.
Started practice in 1978
It is worth mentioning that Acharya Shyam Ji Upadhyay was born in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh. Seeing the decline of the Sanskrit language, he decided to promote it from a young age. He had heard from his father that all court proceedings are carried out in English, Hindi, and Urdu. Sanskrit is not used in court proceedings. After hearing this from his father, Shyam Ji Upadhyay resolved in his childhood that he would fight cases in Sanskrit in the future. He started this journey from the Varanasi court. He has been practicing in the Varanasi court since 1978. You will be surprised to know that he conducts all court-related tasks, from applications to arguments, in Sanskrit.
Honored with a National Award
Acharya Shyam Ji Upadhyay has made significant contributions to the field of Sanskrit. For this contribution, he was awarded the National Sanskrit Award ‘Sanskrit Mitra’ by the Government of India in 2003. He has also received several other awards in the field of Sanskrit.