My Own Boswell - Memoirs

by Muhammad Irfan Hidayatullah

Memoirs of Justice M. Hidayatullah, Ex. Chief Justice of India and the only President of India till date who was never elected by Collegium

Genres: Autobiography, Law

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Muhammad Irfan Hidayatullah lahir di Tasikmalaya, 3 Maret 1973. Ia menyelesaikan pendidikan TK sampai SMA-nya di kota kelahirannya itu. Namun, setiap libur pendek maupun panjang, ia habiskan di rumah ayah-ibunya di tepi Pantai Pangandaran. Ia memang besar, selain dalam didikan ayah-ibu tercintanya, juga dalam asuhan kakek-neneknya di Tasikmalaya. Pada kultur dua ruang itulah (Tasikmalaya dan Pangandaran) ia tumbuh. Setelah selesai SMA, ia lantas menyelesaikan kuliah sarjananya di Jurusan Sastra Indonesia Unpad tempat ia sekarang bekerja sebagai dosen. Saat ini penulis tercatat sebagai mahasiswa S3 Pascasarjana Ilmu Susastra Fakultas Ilmu Pengetahuan Budaya UI setelah pada tahun 2006 ia raih gelar magister Humaniora di tempat yang sama.
Adapun karya-karya tertulisnya telah dibukukan sejak tahun 2000 sampai sekarang baik dalam bentuk antologi bersama karya bersama anggota Forum Lingkar Pena (FLP) lainnya dan essay akademis bersama dosen-dosen Fakltas Sastra Unpad, maupun dalam bentuk karya sendiri berupa kumpulan cerpen sampai kumpulan puisi, yaitu Kumpulan Cerpen: Dari Ruang Tunggu (DAR! Mizan, 2003), Kutunggu Kau di Mal (Zikrul Hakim, 2006), Jangan-Jangan Kau Bukan Manusia (Indiva, 2009). Novel: Dan Gue Bukan Robot (Lingkar Pena Publishing House, 2004), Cermin Retak (Dar MIzan, 2005), Diari Minni (GIP, 2006), Tabir (Sinergi, 2009). Kumpulan Puisi: Perjalanan yang Bulan (Pustaka Latifa, 2007). Kumpulan Kisah: Perempuan Bersayap Surga (Dar Mizan, 2007). Ada juga karya nonfiksinya berjudul My Wife My Princess; Trik Jitu Mencintai Istri Apa Adanya (GIP, 2009). Selain dalam bentuk buku artikel, esai, cerpen, dan puisinya pernah dimuat di media-media lokal maupun nasional: Pikiran Rakyat, Radar Bandung, Republika, Sabili, Annida, dll. Irfan juga pernah diberi kesempatan untuk mengasuh kolom Cakrwala di majalah Annida sejak 2007-2009. menulis esai di kolom Literary Zone majalah Girlyzone (2009). Selain menulis, ia juga kerap didaulat untuk menjadi redaktur jurnal ilmiah (Jurnal Musiologia (2008), Jurnal Metahumaniora (2009-2010)) dan majalah Ruang Makna (2011).
Keseharian Irfan selain bekerja juga berkomunitas di Forum Lingkar Pena dan Komunitas Sabtu Buku. Adapun kreativitas bermusiknya ia salurkan melalui kelompok vokal (nasyid) Mupla yang ia dirikan bersama beberapa teman kuliahnya sejak 1995.

Reviews

[Gopal Vijayaraghavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. M. Hidayatullah’s autobiography “My Own Boswell” makes interesting reading. The book by the former Chief Justice of India, with quotations at the start of each chapter and with a sprinkling of Latin expressions, is a conventional narrative of his life story starting with a brief background of his parents and ending with an account of his family. Many incidents of his life, especially the incident relating to the swearing in ceremony of the Judges of the High Court at Jabalpur, are narrated in a humorous tone. The chapter about the tragic death of daughter of the author is moving. The sudden circumstance leading to the former CJI becoming the President of India On 20th July, 1969 are also narrated. On 3rd May, 1969 the President of India Dr. Zakir Hussain suddenly expired. Shri V.V. Giri, who was the Vice-President of India, had to assume office as the President of India. But as V.V. Giri was not the official candidate of Congress in the election for the office of President of India, he had resigned to contest election for the post of the President paving way for Mr. M. Hidayatulla becoming the President of India for a short period of 35 days. While narrating the above circumstances, the former CJI has avoided any mention of the split of the Congress. The excellent memoirs shed light on the evolution of Judiciary from the British period to the post independence period and is a must read for those who are interested in the legal history of the country. The former Chief Justice of India’s knowledge of literature and arts add a touch of elegance to the book.

[Nikunj · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book about one of the greatest judges who ever lived on the face of this planet. Though the sequence of events and his era are quite outdated both the book and his life are truly inspiring.

[Ruturaj · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most interesting autobiographies I have read.

Justice Hidayatullah was one of the youngest Advocate Generals in India, and one of the youngest Judges with the Indian Supreme Court.

The Autobiography never gets stodgy or boring. CJI Hidayatullah has balanced the professional and personal aspects of his life much adroitly.

The anecdotes and courtroom dramas are very lucid.

Highly recommended.

[Rishabh Tanwar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who am I rate a book so rich and so well written. Justice Hidayatullah was a great man and the book was almost as if I am sitting down on the floor, listening to him narrating his life with such great vivid details.

[D.n. ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully narrated the ordinary but a unique journey of a person from a legal background. I enjoyed reading about Sir's childhood and what inspired his sense of Justice and equity.

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

My own Boswell- Autobiography- Muhammad Irfan Hidayatullah is charming because it is the story of an Judge who is thorough in legal work and is a practical person. In his initial days of working as an Advocate a case comes to him in which car driver finds a person lying on the road and stops his car near the man, opens the door and goes to see him. A police man comes and arrests him on the ground of road accident. Hidayatullah finds a glass like that truck headlight. He follows the road and finds garages where truck headlights are repaired. On the bill book of the truck repair garage, he finds the name of driver incorrect but the truck registration number correct. The police traces and ultimately finds that person lying on the road had been killed by that truck.
Second, during his posting as Advocate General at Nagpur, a case comes when treasuries are looted thus money of Reserve Bank is lost. RBI puts a strong case of liability of State Government. During The case is listed for hearing in Supreme Court. He prepares for law during train journey to Delhi and finds solution to the legal question and ultimately wins the case.
Third, after formation of new State of Madhya Pradesh, in the evening, he is in Bhopal and is provided an order to take charge of the newly established High Court of Madhya Pradesh at Jabalpur. It is raining heavily and there is a storm. He moves in a car, reaches Jabalpur in time and takes charge unbothered about the difficulties. Fourth, He has been trained in solving legal questions at Loncoln's Inn of Court and is able to solve tough questions of law like under the Constitution of India, when the President is dead, Vice- President takes charge of President, the Presidential election is announced. Now the Vice President wants to contest the election to the post of President. The question raised is Vice President should resign from the post of Vice President or President and to whom does he address his resignation? For this section 16 is added and the person resigns from the post of Vice-President and address his resignation to President of India. Fifth, President Nixon USA visits India during his term as in-charge President of India. He uses the Rashtrapati Bhawan only during official duty rest of the time, he uses his own residence, thus payment of expenditure on him by Rashtrapati Bhawan is reduced. The book is a pleasure reading and is a must read for all.