Hyderabad: She wanted to become a doctor. But her father wanted her to take up Law. Out of love and respect for her father’s words, she obliged. Clauses and subclauses were at her fingertips. Hundreds of cases, thousands of hearings, innumerable victories. She is none other than Kanneganti Lalitha. On the occasion of her swearing-in as the judge of Andhra Pradesh High Court, she sat down for a quick chat with Eenadu's Vasundhara.
Following is her journey, so far, as narrated by her...
As a kid, I always dreamed of donning a white coat. For the same reason, I opted for BiPC in intermediate. But as fate would have it, I got a black coat. When I started as a lawyer, I never imagined that I would become Justice Lalitha. I believe that hard work and perseverance are what got me here. I was born in Jammulapalem, near Bapatla, Guntur district. My parents are Kommineni Ankamma Chowdary and Amareswari. My father was a BA English Literature graduate. Even in those days, my maternal grandfather made sure my mother did her schooling in Bhimavaram. When I was 9 years old, our family moved to Hyderabad. I studied law at Padala Rama Reddi Law College. In 1994, I registered for the Bar Council of India.
In 2008, I got married to Kanneganti Vijay. My husband was a mechanical engineer and worked as a landscape consultant. Within a few years, we became a family of four as I gave birth to a son and daughter. During those days, I had to strike a balance between career and family responsibilities.
Working with MRK Chowdary, K Harinath and O Manohar Reddy has helped me gain immense experience as a lawyer. Once kids started growing up, I focused entirely on my career. I can never forget the way my mom supported me during tough times. I started independent practice in 2008. I used to work 12 hours every day. I used to study all kinds of cases. More than winning a case, it is the happiness on the client’s face that makes me content. Winners have enemies, who try to pull us back. I faced many such instances. But I have confidently overcome every challenge.
There is no field without male domination. But women are capable of achieving anything. Patience and determination are our primary strengths. With the right support from family, we can scale many heights. In order to excel in the legal profession, one needs to work hard every day. We must be well versed with each new law and amendment. We cannot deliver justice unless we are impartial. I have represented thousands of cases so far. And now, I have become a judge. I thank God for giving me such a wonderful opportunity. My parents are proud of me. My husband and kids are rejoicing this moment. My son Gautam graduated in Supply Chain Management and Logistics from Jacobs University, Germany. Daughter Manasa is studying Law in Delhi. I could reach this position only because of my family’s continuous support.
I served as Standing Counsel for Andhra Pradesh Agricultural Market Committees and argued cases on their behalf. In 2011, I was elected as the Standing Counsel for Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. I have argued against the petition claiming exemption of TTD from the RTI Act. I also argued against the case demanding reconstruction of 1000-pillared mandapa in Tirumala. Our argument that the mandapa could not be rebuilt citing safety reasons, has won in the court. I offered my services free of charge to TTD. I was elected as the Standing Counsel for Sanskrit University. I have not faced many defeats in my career. I take up a case only after assessing its righteousness. That is the secret of my professional success.
My father is an ardent fan of Rabindranath Tagore. Lalitha was the name of one of the characters in Tagore’s novels. My father read that novel around the time I was born and named me Lalitha. Though I wanted to become a doctor, my father insisted that I should take up Law to ensure justice to as many people as I can. So, I took up Law and I am certain that I made it big.
