Justice Ram Narain Dar

Pandit Ram Narain Dar was born in 1849 in his ancestral house in Vachchuwali Gali in Lahore. He had his traditional education in Urduand Persian language under the guidance of learned Jl/Iaz/Ivis in aMaklab. He then passed the first Arts examination from the Lahore Mission School around 1864

Pandit Ram Narain Dar after completing his studies then started his service as a clerk on Rs. 50/- per month around 1864 in the department ofpublic instructions under the British dispensation. Pandit Ram Narain Dar continued his studies while doing service as a clerk in the public instructions, department and did his B.A. from the Government College Lahore for better future prospects around 1 870 which was affiliated with the Calcutta University at that time to conduct the examinations and to award the degrees. He also joined the law classes whichwere started in the same year in the college. When the British established a Chief Court at Lahore Pandit Ram Narain Dar passed its pleadership examination and enrolled himself as a pleader in 1879 and started his legal practice in this Chief Court. In some old documents it is mentioned that prior to that he also worked as a Munsif for quite some time after doing his B.L. from the Calcutta University. Pandit Ram Narain Dar due tohis hard work and deep knowledge of law very soon became a popular criminal lawyer of the Lahore Chief Court with a roaring legal practice

The British became so much impressed with the reputation and over all performance of Pt. Ram Narain Dar as a leading criminal lawyer that when they decided to appoint a native as a judge of the Lahore Chief Court on 12th October 1885. To mark this historic occasion Pt. Maharaj Krishna Ghamkhwar who was the special correspondent of theTribune brought out a supplement of the paper lithographed in letters of gold to mark this historic occasion and acclaimed the nomination as a new feather in the cap of the Kashmiri Pandits . Thus Justice Ram Narain Dar got the honour to become thefirst Indian judge of the Lahore Chief Court. Unfortunately Justice Ram Narain Dar could not enjoy the fruits of this august office for a long time. He died quite young the very next year of his appointment in 1886 at the age of hardly 37 years leaving every body completely stunned.

Source: BN Sharga

Pandit Ram Narain Dar after completing his studies then started his service as a clerk on Rs. 50/- per month around 1864 in the department ofpublic instructions under the British dispensation. Pandit Ram Narain Dar continued his studies while doing service as a clerk in the public instructions, department and did his B.A. from the Government College Lahore for better future prospects around 1 870 which was affiliated with the Calcutta University at that time to conduct the examinations and to award the degrees. He also joined the law classes whichwere started in the same year in the college. When the British established a Chief Court at Lahore Pandit Ram Narain Dar passed its pleadership examination and enrolled himself as a pleader in 1879 and started his legal practice in this Chief Court. In some old documents it is mentioned that prior to that he also worked as a Munsif for quite some time after doing his B.L. from the Calcutta University. Pandit Ram Narain Dar due tohis hard work and deep knowledge of law very soon became a popular criminal lawyer of the Lahore Chief Court with a roaring legal practice

The British became so much impressed with the reputation and over all performance of Pt. Ram Narain Dar as a leading criminal lawyer that when they decided to appoint a native as a judge of the Lahore Chief Court on 12th October 1885. To mark this historic occasion Pt. Maharaj Krishna Ghamkhwar who was the special correspondent of theTribune brought out a supplement of the paper lithographed in letters of gold to mark this historic occasion and acclaimed the nomination as a new feather in the cap of the Kashmiri Pandits . Thus Justice Ram Narain Dar got the honour to become thefirst Indian judge of the Lahore Chief Court. Unfortunately Justice Ram Narain Dar could not enjoy the fruits of this august office for a long time. He died quite young the very next year of his appointment in 1886 at the age of hardly 37 years leaving every body completely stunned.

Source: BN Sharga