Justice B N.Rau - The Constitution of India ©RohitSinghNegi_Reshmi Nair
Early life and education
Academic excellence:
Rau was born in Mangalore in 1887 and demonstrated exceptional academic talent from an early age. He was educated at Presidency College, Madras, and later earned a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge.
Civil service career: After completing his studies at Cambridge, he joined the Indian Civil Service (ICS) in 1910. He served in various capacities, including as a judge in Bengal and as a legal adviser.
Role in Drafting The Constitution
Advisory role: As Constitutional Adviser, Rau's primary function was to prepare the initial, rough Draft of The Constitution. He undertook extensive research, studying the constitutional models of many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland, to inform the document's structure.
Providing expertise: He is credited with providing valuable legal and constitutional expertise to the Constituent Assembly, which was crucial for its successful functioning.
Respected by peers: His contribution was widely respected by his contemporaries. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, in a speech to the assembly, specifically credited Rau for preparing the initial draft, stating that a part of the credit for the constitution belonged to him.
Post-constitution career and international recognition
Diplomat at the UN: After the constitution was adopted, Rau transitioned to diplomatic service. From 1949 to 1952, he served as India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. During this time, he also served as the President of the UN Security Council in June 1950.
Judge at the ICJ: In 1952, he was appointed as a Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague.
Death and legacy: Rau died in 1953. His work continues to be recognized, and the Indian government honored him with a postage stamp in 1988 on his birth centenary.
Rau versus Ambedkar: A differing of roles
It is important to remember that Rau's and Ambedkar's roles were complementary, not competing.
Rau's expertise: B.N.Rau's contribution was primarily that of a brilliant legal scholar and administrator who prepared the initial blueprint and provided valuable research. He was not an elected member of the assembly and did not have a political mandate.
Dr. Ambedkar's leadership: Ambedkar, as Chairman of the Drafting Committee, was the political architect who took Rau's draft and guided it through the intense political debates, incorporating the vision of social and economic justice that defined the new Indian Republic.
© Rohit Singh Negi Reshmi Nair
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