In 2000, Danny, a 38-year-old lawyer, confronted then Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal of the Bombay High Court with a heartfelt request: “Would you grant me the liberty to take my own freedom and step away from the course you have charted for me?” Justice Sabharwal had offered him a judgeship, but Danny wanted to prioritise caring for his ailing wife over accepting the prestigious position.
While Danny was unsure about taking on the role of a judge, his colleagues at the Bombay High Court had already marked their calendars, predicting his eventual ascendancy to the Supreme Court as Chief Justice of India.