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A.G. Noorani, the loud voice of advocacy, politics, journalism and literature, has fallen silent. Famous English writer Khushwant Singh has written in his book 'Men and Women in My Life' that Noorani had once told him that he had only two passions in life – one, advocacy and second, politics, literature and journalism. He was one of the regular columnists of leading newspapers from 'New York Times' to 'Indian Express', 'The Hindu' and 'Frontline'. His columns were read all over the world which shed light on the issues of the country. Whether it was the question of merging Hyderabad into India or the Kashmir issue, he remained in the headlines as a common man and a wide advocate of human rights, fighting for legal rights from Babri Masjid. His voice could not be suppressed even during the Emergency. Noorani was born in Mumbai in 1930. He received his education from the Government Law College of Mumbai and then from the Bombay High Court.
Noorani started practising. He fought popular cases and wrote about issues that the middle class and the elite yearned for.
He met Sheikh Abdullah, N.T. Rama Rao and fought Jayalalithaa's case in the Supreme Court. What can be said about him? He had a colourful personality and loved tea and spicy food. He wrote many books and continued to write columns in newspapers around the world, including the Free Press Journal. In the Bar Council, he was seen less as a lawyer and more as a journalist. A.G. Noorani's account includes court debates and the time he visited Dharamsala and argued the case of the Dalai Lama in his youth. He was a stickler for rules to explain his point of view about advocacy and politics. He had a very brave and energetic personality which reflected his sense of humour and way of enjoying life. He once explained why he did not marry and why he lived alone all his life, but he also revealed in one of his Doordarshan interviews that he loved only two things in his life – one advocacy and the other, politics. He was very fond of reading books. Along with friendship, he gave books the status of his love. While giving lectures on politics, he could make fun of anyone, but his sense of humor was very high, which is well known even today to the Supreme Court and the politicians who met him.
He had very open views about the Babri Masjid. Another thing that was memorable about him was that he was not hungry for photographs and publicity. Apart from being a close friend and a brilliant lawyer, he also appeared in court as the official advocate of those humanists writing in English who would otherwise have been marginalized. In his many books, Noorani has always raised issues ranging from India's foreign policy to the Kashmir issue as well as the Babri Masjid and issues that are often not mentioned by those who fear their arrest during the Emergency in 1975. He was a loud-mouthed orator. His famous book 'The Kashmir 1947 to 2012' presents the story from the Ram Janmabhoomi issue to the accession of Hyderabad to India, a history that has been recognized as history even by the Supreme Court.
You will be surprised to know that he also expressed his frank opinion on Article 370. The history of his books has also been such that the Supreme Court considered his books to be authentic and a page of history that can be trusted. As a writer and journalist, his most famous books include 'RSS A Man's Way to India', 'Article 370 A Constitutional History of Jammu and Kashmir' and 'The Destruction Hyderabad'.
I remember in a meeting when I asked him about his book 'Islam Aur Jihad', the explanation he gave was eye-opening. He said that Jihad is life. Another book of Noorani, 'Jinnah and Tilak' is a very stylized book. You will be surprised to know that his book 'Bhagat Singh, Politics of Justice' has become very popular. 'Indian Political Trials' was also very popular. Another collection of his books has been read and discussed by lawyers of Indian universities and Supreme Court. A name that was very influential in personal life but always alive in the corridors of power, AG Noorani is no more among us but he will always be fresh in my memories. Noorani will always be missed in the Indian Bar, Supreme Court and Mumbai High Court.