Justice BR Gavai of the Supreme Court on Monday said that he could become a judge of the apex court only because of BR Ambedkar.

“The credit of the origin of the Indian Constitution goes to Dr BR Ambedkar. It is only because of Dr BR Ambedkar that a person like me, who studied in a semi-slum area at a municipal school could reach this position,” Justice Gavai said.

“Dr Ambedkar said the Constitution is not a book for lawyers but a way of life” he added.

He along with Justice AS Oka was speaking at the Ambedkar Memorial Lecture on the topic, ‘Article 32: History and the Future’.

Justice Gavai is set to become the 52nd Chief Justice of India. He would become the second person from the Scheduled Caste (SC) to hold the post.