Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal recently felicitated after successfully leading an initiative that raised over ₹43 crore for the welfare of advocates.
The campaign, carried out under the banner of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), was a key promise of Sibal during the SCBA presidential elections.
Massive Funds Mobilised Through CSR
According to official figures released by the SCBA, the association has collected ₹43.43 crore through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnerships. These funds are earmarked for providing health insurance and financial support to advocates.
The achievement was celebrated on April 9 at the Supreme Court’s Library 2, where members of the Friday Group—an academic group of senior lawyers—formally felicitated Sibal for his efforts.
“This Fund Is for the Bar, Not Me,” Says Sibal
Addressing those present at the event, Sibal clarified that the initiative was never about personal credit.
“It is for the family (bar),” he said, referring to the larger legal community.
He also shared that every individual he approached, including prominent business leaders, offered their support without hesitation.
“Not a single person said no to me. From Mukesh Ambani to Torrent, just you name it. No friend of mine said no to me,” he said.
While the original fundraising target was ₹50 crore, Sibal confirmed that ₹45 crore has already been raised. “By April-end, the balance will also come. My aim is to collect ₹60 crore,” he stated confidently.
Model For Bar Associations Nationwide
Advocate G Seshagiri, founder of the Friday Group, urged bar associations across India to follow this example.
“This kind of initiative must reach state and district bars, too. Let every bar association take responsibility for its own,” he said.
Insurance Scheme
Sibal also outlined a larger vision: creating a permanent insurance fund for advocates.
“I asked an insurance expert how much corpus we’d need to make a lifelong scheme work. He said ₹120 crore. So, I thought if I raise ₹60 crore, the Supreme Court should contribute the rest,” he explained.
He added that he has already spoken with Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, who agreed to write to the government to consider this proposal.
“The CJI said he would write to the government. If that doesn’t happen, we’ll ask Justice Gavai to issue a writ of mandamus,” he quipped, drawing laughter from the crowd.
“I Just Did My Duty,” Sibal Tells the Bar
Closing his speech, Sibal humbly redirected the appreciation back to the legal community.
“There’s nothing to congratulate me for. It’s my duty. I congratulate you for your camaraderie, for your support, for allowing this to happen,” he said.
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