Hon. Chief Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah is one of the foremost authorities on India’s Constitutional law and human rights and has been honored with the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian honor, in 2004.

He served as the 25th Chief Justice of India from 1993 to 1994. Post-retirement, he continued working closely with the Government of India and served as the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of India from 1996 to 1998. In 2000, he headed the National Commission to review the working of the Indian Constitution.

He is currently the chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. Additionally, he is on the advisory board of the Foundation for Restoration of National Values, a society that strives to restore national and cultural values of India.

Justice Venkatachaliah was conferred the Doctor of Letters by the Pondicherry University and Doctor of Laws (LLD) (both honoris causa) by the Manipal University in 2012 in addition to an honorary doctorate from Rani Channamma University, Belgaum, in 2013.