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K. Parasaran Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 6, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth9 October 1927

Age96 Years

BirthplaceSrirangam, Madras State, British India (now Tamil Nadu, India)

ProfessionAdvocate

NationalityBritish Indian (1927-1947); Indian (1947-present)

SpouseSaroja Parasaran

K. Parasaran Biography

K. Parasaran is a veteran Indian advocate celebrated for his long legal career and involvement in several landmark constitutional and public interest cases

Early life and background

Kesava Iyengar Parasaran was born on 9 October 1927 in Srirangam, then part of Madras State in British India. He grew up in what is now Tamil Nadu and lists Chennai as his hometown. Parasaran completed his schooling at The Hindu Higher Secondary School in Chennai and went on to study at Presidency College before training in law at Madras Law College (now Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College). Over decades he built a reputation grounded in constitutional practice and public law.

Career

Parasaran’s legal career spans many of the major constitutional disputes of post-Independence India. He appeared in a long list of significant Supreme Court matters that helped shape the contours of fundamental rights, administrative law, and the balance between state power and individual liberties.

Among the early high‑profile matters associated with him is I. C. Golaknath v. State of Punjab (1967), a decision that addressed the scope of Parliament’s power to amend fundamental rights. Later work includes litigation touching presidential and gubernatorial clemency powers, tax and commercial law, and the limits of executive authority.

Through the 1980s and 1990s Parasaran argued in cases on a range of constitutional themes: appointment and independence of the judiciary, the role and powers of administrative tribunals, principles governing taxation and excise valuation, and the proper use of Article 356 (President’s Rule). He was involved in litigation on reservation policy, education and minority institution autonomy, and questions about the scope of fundamental rights under Article 14.

Parasaran also took on prominent public‑interest and politically sensitive matters. He represented clients in cases concerning criminal sentence review, prosecutorial powers, and the constitutional validity of state measures. His practice encompassed both private corporate interests and public causes, reflecting a wide practice across constitutional, administrative and commercial disputes.

Notable religious and culturally significant cases featured in his later career. He represented the Nair Service Society in the Sabarimala litigation, arguing for restrictions based on the celibate character attributed to the temple’s deity; the Supreme Court ultimately ruled to permit women’s entry. He also acted for Hindu parties in the protracted Ayodhya land dispute, advocating on behalf of the deity Ram Lalla; the Supreme Court in 2019 awarded the disputed site to the Hindu parties and directed the government to establish a trust to oversee construction of a temple, while allotting land to the Waqf Board for a mosque.

Public profile

Parasaran is widely recognized within the legal community. A former Supreme Court judge gave him the sobriquet Pitamaha of the Indian Bar in recognition of his long contribution to the law, a reflection of the esteem in which peers hold his work and his public stature.

Throughout his life he has received multiple awards and honors acknowledging his contribution to law and public affairs. These include honorary degrees, national civilian awards, legal and civic awards from bar associations and civil society organizations, and recognition from both state and national institutions over many years.

Personal life

Parasaran’s family life includes his wife, Saroja Parasaran. Physically, published information describes him as approximately 1.68 meters tall. His nationality changed from British Indian at birth to Indian after Independence. He is known to have maintained close ties to Chennai throughout his life.

Latest updates

As of 2023 Parasaran was 96 years old and continued to be publicly acknowledged for his lifetime of service to the law. His professional legacy is reflected in his long list of reported Supreme Court appearances and the honors conferred on him by legal and civic bodies.
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Recent Work

The Sabarimala Case

Represented the Nair Service Society in litigation concerning entry of women into the Sabarimala temple; argued on the basis of the deity's celibate character, but the Supreme Court allowed women to enter.

Ayodhya Land Dispute

Acted for Hindu parties and argued on behalf of Ram Lalla Viraajman in the long‑running dispute; the Supreme Court in 2019 awarded the contested site to the Hindu parties and directed the government to form a trust for temple construction.

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Argued significant constitutional and administrative law matters in the Supreme Court of India across multiple decades
  2. Represented parties in landmark cases addressing fundamental rights, appointment of judges, federal power and reservation policy
  3. Acted in high‑profile cultural and religious disputes including Sabarimala and the Ayodhya land case
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was K. Parasaran born?

9 October 1927

What is K. Parasaran known for?

Advocate

Who is K. Parasaran married to?

Saroja Parasaran