History

The second son of late Rai Bahadur Justice Sir Jai Lal the uncrowned king of Shimla, Jindra lal was born on 7th September, 1908 at Shimla in the family house Dil Kusha, in the Middle Bazar. He had his  primary education at Mayfield School and later joined the Sir Harcourt Butler High School, Shimla and thereafter Bishop Cotton School from where he passed his Matriculation Examination and joined the Government College, Lahore. He graduated from The Government College, Lahore in 1929 where after he went to England for higher education, joining Emmanuel College, Cambridge from where he took his Tripos in Economics and Law. He was called to the Bar from the Inner Temple, London and following the footsteps of his illustrious father joined the legal profession.

On his return to India, he enrolled as an Advocate of the Lahore High Court in 1934 where within a short time he established a lucrative practice. He was very popular with the members of the Bar and advocated the cause of the junior members with vigour and zeal and was elected the Hony Secretary of the Lahore High Court Bar Association. He was appointed a part time lecturer in the Law College, Lahore from 1938 to 1944. At the Bar he conducted civil and criminal cases with ability and was held in high esteem by his colleagues and the bench.

On the Partition of the Country, he shifted to Shimla and later to Delhi. His professional efficiency led to his appointment as a Government Counsel for the State of Punjab and Union of India in the Supreme Court of India. On the establishment of the Circuit Bench of the Punjab High Court, he was also appointed as an Additional Central Government Counsel. He represented the Governments in several important constitutional and civil matters as also the Kalka Firing Enquiry.

He was the President of the Kangra Sevak Samaj for several years and also the Hony Secretary of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals from 1955 till March, 1963 when on his elevation to the Bench he resigned from both posts.

On 21st March, 1963, he was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Punjab High Court and was made a permanent Judge on 30th May, 1966. As a judge of the High Court Mr Justice Jindra Lal was known far and wide for his ability for penetrating deep into the heart of  complicated cases.

Mr Justice Jindra Lal endeared himself to the members of the bar by virtue of his sweet temperament, sound knowledge of law and equity. He retired on 7th September, 1970, on attaining the age of 62 years leaving behind an indelible memory of affection, cheerfulness and warmth of his friendliness.

After his retirement he practiced in the Supreme Court of India, and then shifted to Shimla. Later, the Himachal Pradesh Government appointed him as a One Man Enquiry Commission to go into the Emergency excesses in Himachal Pradesh. While on the Commission, his end came all of a sudden on 19th February, 1979. His Colleagues in their reference recalled him as an eminent Judge, a great jurist and a perfect gentleman, like his father before him.

Mr Justice Jindra Lal was survived by his Wife, Mrs Margaret Jindra Lal, son Janendra Lal, and two daughters Mrs Indu Baig and Mrs Honey Raj Krishna. His son Janendra Lal and two grand children Divya Nagrath and Jai Lal daughter and son of Mr Janendra Lal continue the family tradition in the legal profession. The family continues to retain Marley Villa.