Mahadev Shankar, respected lawyer and judge

Stellar lawyer and retired Court of Appeal judge Mahadev Shankar passed away early yesterday at the age of 94 in a Shah Alam hospital. Born in Kuala Lumpur in 1932, Mahadev's distinguished career in the law and public service came to an end after a long and illustrious life. He was appointed to two significant royal commissions of inquiry, one in February 1999 regarding Anwar Ibrahim's injuries under the Internal Security Act and another in January 2008 concerning the authenticity of a video clip involving lawyer VK Lingam.

Both appointments were a response to the intense public pressure on the government to address the issues through calm and impartial inquiry. Mahadev's career began in 1956 when he started his law practice, and he retired from active practice in 1983. He was later appointed a judge of the High Court in 1994 and was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 1997 before retiring from the judiciary in 1997.

In 2021, Mahadev published his memoir, "Summum Bonum: The Ultimate Good," which detailed his life and career at the Bar and bench. Despite losing his sight, Mahadev's ability to write this memoir demonstrates his remarkable fortitude.