V. R. Krishna Iyer Biography

Justice Vaidyanathapuram Rama Iyer Krishna Iyer (15 November 1915 – 4 December 2014) referred to as a conscience keeper of justice in India, was a visionary and a pathbreaking judge, who reformed the Indian criminal justice system with bold changes to jails & police stations, and forged new tools to dispense social justice & justice in the public interest, which stood not just the test of time, but had a profound impact on justice delivery in India in the decades which followed. He pioneered the legal-aid movement in the country. Before that, he had pioneered land reforms law as a state minister & independent politician, which became a model for the rest of the country.[citation needed] He stood up for the poor and the underprivileged and was jailed for this once, as an activist lawyer. He zealously guarded human-rights regardless of finding himself isolated. He was a crusader for social action & the environment, and a champion of civil liberties, throughout life. A sports enthusiast and a prolific author, he was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan in 1999. Judges in India and around the world continue to cite his judgments in their decisions in court.