I was still a very raw junior when a colleague of my senior asked me if I could do him a favour. Like my senior, he too was an Assistant Government Pleader on the Writ Cell and shared a room with my senior. He was a very helpful and likeable fellow who I shall call Adv. N.D.Gudkar in this story.
Adv. Gudkar asked me if I filed any income tax returns? I said I had no income and hence filed no return.
"Then you are the perfect junior," he said, "I will keep giving you cash every month which you keep depositing in your account as fees received for legal advice from clients. And every now and then, as per my requirement and instructions you issue me cheques from that amount as fees paid to senior counsel for consultation. For this service you can retain ₹5000 per month in your account. What do you say?"
As I was not comfortable with his proposal, I politely declined to do what he wanted me to do.My senior too did not pressurize me to accept his colleagues' proposal. Adv. Gudkar, on his part, did not bear any grudge against me due to this refusal on my part. He readily found another raw junior who gladly accepted his offer.
Gradually, Adv.Gudkar, though much senior, became a good friend. Sometimes he requested me to be his AOR and this I gladly did.He too hailed from the Konkan Coast. His dabba was always full of Konkani delicacies prepared by his wife and my senior and Adv. Gudkar always ate lunch together. Their wives packed a lot of tasty food in their dabbas and I was the biggest beneficiary as there was food left even after the three of us had had our meal.
The post of 'Assistant Government Pleader' (AGP) used to be considered a good stepping stone to elevation to the BHC bench from the Bar in those days. Several AGPs who were colleagues of my senior and Adv. Gudkar had already been elevated.
One such colleague, Justice A.C. Hipflask, was quite senior. He liked Adv. Gudkar. When a non-descript labour lawyer's name, which happened to be "Adv. N.D.Gutkhal", was suggested by a milord belonging to that gentleman's sect and native place in Karwar for being designated as a "Senior Advocate", Justice Hipflask, imagining that it was his good old friend Adv. N.D.Gutkar, AGP, whose name was being proposed, enthusiastically supported the designation and even lobbied some key senior judges in his favour.
Thus, against all odds, the unassuming, low-profile Adv. Gutkhal was designated as a “Senior Advocate”, a news which, when he first heard, he could not believe himself. Thanks to Justice A.C. Hipflask's spirited efforts!
When Adv. Gutkhal saw the official notification ,he decided to go on a pilgrimage to his native place to thank his Kuladevta! This was nothing short of a miracle for him and his community.
Justice A.C. Hipflask, meanwhile, enthusiastically telephoned Adv. N.D. Gudkar on the common landline of the AGPs office during the lunch break.
"Did you get the notification, my dear friend? I pushed for your name and got you designated. I am now entitled to a special surmai fry party at your place, Gudkar" Hipflask exclaimed.
"What are you talking about, Hipflask?,” Adv. Gudkar asked, “Are you joking? No one has recommended my name. And even if someone did, you think these high caste milords would even consider it?"
"Then who the hell did we just designate?," queried Justice Hipflask.
"Arrey Baba, you may have pushed for that briefless Adv. Gutkhal who warms the chairs of the library. Everyone is wondering what influence he could have wielded to get designated. Except for that solitary jaatwala milord from his native place, no one would vote for him!"
Justice Hipflask quickly cut the call, took a swig of the regular quarter peg he imbibed post lunch before ascending from his chamber onto the dais with scented supari in his mouth.
He had realised his colossal blunder but the deed was already done! Hipflask could do nothing except yawn on the bench.
In the evening, after he returned to the AGP’s office from the court Adv. Gudkar told my senior about the call from Justice Hipflask during lunch.
We all burst out laughing. Gudkar especially found the whole thing very funny.
"Hipflask should not drink so much that he does not know the difference between Gudkar and Gutkhal," said Gudkar. My senior nodded.
Late that evening, Adv.N.D.Gudkar narrated another very interesting story involving his name.
"I would never have joined this profession if I had got that job I had applied for" he said.
It seems he was a topper in law college and had applied for a probationary law officer’s job in a big bank to get a steady job and income.
Gudkar passed all the written tests with flying colours and qualified for the final interview without any difficulty.
At the interview too, he impressed everyone not just with his knowledge of law but also his unbounded enthusiasm.
The Chairman of the Bank with an impressive tikka on his forehead and a fancy South Indian headgear shook his hand and said, "Congratulations Mr.Gudkar.You are selected. Kindly go outside and collect your appointment letter.You can join from tomorrow."
Gudkar's joy knew no bounds. He went outside with the Chairman's PA and was taken to the Personnel Department for being given the appointment letter. The PA too congratulated Gudkar and left him with the Secretary who would type out the appointment letter in the prescribed proforma.
"Sir,what is your full name?," the Secretary asked.
"I am N.D.Gudkar"
"No Sir, I will need the full version, not just the initials."
"Oh,OK. My name is Nuruddin Dawood Gudkar"
The Secretary stared at Gudkar as if he had landed there from outer space.
"Just a minute Sir. I shall be right back"
After what seemed like an interminable ten minutes, a sullen faced PA emerged from the Chairman's room and slowly walked up to Gudkar with the Secretary close on his heels.
Avoiding any eye-contact and with barely an audible voice he mumbled: "I am very sorry Mr.Gudkar. Due to unforeseen circumstances the job offer given to you has been withdrawn.We wish you meet with success elsewhere."
No one said anything.
But Gudkar as well as the others understood the reason for the sudden U-turn.
It was a change brought about due to disclosure of his name.
Gudkar realised that in the banking industry, which was dominated by vested interests and where considerations of everything except merit prevailed, he would stand no chance.
Adv.Gudkar continued,"That is how I was left with no option but to get my Sanad and try my luck as a legal professional. It was not easy but Allah is Great and I have reached here. Praise be to God Almighty."
All this was such a long time ago.
Adv. N.D. Gudkar passed on many years ago. Senior Advocate N.D.Gutkhal is also no more. Justice Hipflask also popped it! But I still vividly recall their story.
Although he used to take such things in his stride and laugh it off, I have always wondered whether it was simply Adv. N.D Gudkar's cursed luck..or something far deeper.
Truthfully disclosing his full name made him lose a job and join the legal profession.
And a misunderstanding by a drunk milord about his real name led to someone else getting designated as a Senior Advocate instead of him!
