For First-Time SC New Judges' Swearing-In at 3.30 PM
In Short
These three Chief Justices of the High Courts were appointed as judges of the apex court after the Centre cleared their elevation on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium.
Contrary to the set practice of holding the oath of office to new judges in the morning at 10.30 am, this time the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant will on Tuesday administer the oath of office to three new judges, Justice Sunita Agarwal, Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Aparesh Kumar Singh at 3.30 pm.
These three Chief Justices of the High Courts were appointed as judges of the apex court after the Centre cleared their elevation on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium.
Justice Agarwal, born on April 30, 1966, was appointed as a judge of the Allahabad High Court on November 21, 2011. She became the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court on July 23, 2023.
Justice Upadhyaya, born on June 16, 1965, has been Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court since July 2023 before being transferred as Chief Justice of Delhi High Court in January 2025.
Justice Singh, born on July 7, 1965, was appointed as Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court on April 17, 2023, and was subsequently transferred as Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court, where he took the oath on July 19, 2025.
A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.
