Rana Bhagwandas
He broke a profound barrier in Pakistan's judicial history, serving as the first Hindu acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
1942–2015 (age 73)·Pakistani judge·Birthday: December 20·The Silent Generation
Biography
Rana Bhagwandas carved a path of impeccable integrity through the complex terrain of Pakistan's judiciary. Born into a Hindu family in Sindh province, he rose through the legal ranks on merit alone, earning a reputation for fairness and an unshakeable commitment to the law. His career reached its zenith during the tumultuous judicial crisis of 2007, a period of intense confrontation between the judiciary and executive. As the senior-most judge, Bhagwandas served as Acting Chief Justice, providing a steady, principled hand. His leadership was a quiet but powerful symbol of Pakistan's constitutional diversity, demonstrating that the highest office of justice was open to talent from any faith. Beyond the bench, he later chaired the Federal Public Service Commission, shaping the nation's civil service.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Rana was born in 1942, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Rana Was Born
The biggest hits of 1942
#1 Movie
Bambi
Best Picture
Mrs. Miniver
Rana's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1942Born
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1947Started school
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1955Became a teenager
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Could drive
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1960Could vote
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Turned 21
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1972Turned 30
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 40
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 50
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 60
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 70
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Died at 73
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Served as Acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the first Hindu and second non-Muslim to hold the position.
- Provided crucial leadership as Acting Chief Justice during the 2007 judicial crisis in Pakistan.
- Appointed Chairman of the Federal Public Service Commission of Pakistan, overseeing civil service recruitment.
- Had a long and distinguished career as a judge of the Sindh High Court and later the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Did You Know?
He was a noted scholar of Sindhi culture and history.
Bhagwandas earned his law degree from the University of Karachi.
Before his judicial career, he practiced law in the districts of Sindh province.
He passed away in Karachi in 2015 after a prolonged illness.
“The law is blind to faith; it sees only facts and justice.”
