The sad demise of eminent scholar Vepa P. Sarathi today morning at 4:30 AM has come as a shock to the legal community. He was 96 years old and he died a natural death.

He used to teach Criminal Law, Property Laws, Law of Evidence and Constitutional Law at National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR), Hyderabad. 

Speaking to Bar & Bench Prof. M. Sridhar Acharyulu, NALSAR’s Registrar said, “It is definitely a great loss for us. More than a Professor he was a friend, guide and philosopher to all of us over here. He was a classic author and a great orator. It is difficult to find a replacement for him. He could explain complex concepts in simple manner. In fact he was in love with NALSAR, that is the reason why he was teaching here even at the age of 96. Each and every faculty used to look forward to his guidance always”.

Prof. Vepa P. Sarathi, was enrolled as an Advocate in 1942 and later in 1976 he was designated as Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court of India. As a Member of the Law Commission under the Chairmanship of the retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice K. K. Mathew, Prof. Sarathi has richly contributed for the development of law especially in Consumer Law, Promissory Estoppel and Contract ‘d’adhesion (Adhesive Contracts).

Prof. Sarathi, as a Senior Advocate, had also appeared in the Bhopal Gas Leak Case on behalf of the Government of India as the Learned Attorney General’s Representative in the District Court at Bhopal and the High Court at Jabalpur. Prof. Sarathi was also Advocate General for Sikkim from January 1990 to October 1994 and from October 1994 to 31st December 1994; he served as the Chairman of the Sikkim Law Commission.

NALSAR honoured him in 2007 by awarding an honorary doctorate (LL.D) for his outstanding contributions to the field of Law.

Prof. Sarathi's death will be great loss to the legal fraternity.