Ashok Bhadrige has proven that no matter where you start or how old you are, a dream is never out of reach. For over two decades, he carried a single, powerful ambition in his heart, to become a lawyer. His journey, from a simple service boy for an LIC agent to Bombay High Court driver, and then a lawyer, wasn`t just a job; it was a relentless climb against every obstacle life threw at him. At the age of 42, Ashok finally earned his law degree recently.
Securing High Court post
Ashok was born in Mumbai. His parents, Vilas, 65, and Sindhu, 63, now reside with him and his family in the state government quarters in Tilak Nagar. After his schooling at Diamond Jubilee School for Boys, Mazagaon, in English medium, his career began in a supporting role with an LIC agent in Sion Koliwada, where he rose from a service boy to a service manager. However, financial stability was hard to come by, and his employment was often temporary. It was in 2012, that he secured a permanent post as a driver, with a salary of Rs 14,000. Today, as a driver for the high court, his monthly earnings are Rs 85,000 (approx salary before HRA deduction is Rs 1.02 lakh) — a solid foundation for his family, including his wife Yogita, 37, a tuition teacher, and their two daughters, Antra, 9, and Yasasvi, 6.
Decade-long struggle
Despite securing a government job, Ashok’s most formidable challenge was securing a graduate degree. He was enrolled in the BCom programme at Siddharth College, but his graduation remained pending for a 10 years, from 2006 to 2016. Ashok describes giving almost 20 attempts to clear the papers, before passing in June 2016.
Ashok Bhadrige secured a job as a permanent Bombay High Court driver in 2012. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
This Herculean effort, however, was immediately overshadowed by a heartbreaking setback. Ashok, who belonged to a reserved category, needed a minimum of 40 per cent aggregate marks to be eligible for MahaCET, the entrance exam for the 3-year LLB programme. Despite his monumental effort, he had only secured 36 per cent, falling short of the criterion by a four percentage points. This seemingly insurmountable barrier emerged just as the Common Entrance Test (CET) system was introduced in 2016, preventing him from applying for program.
5-yr LLB triumph
Ashok realised a different route was available: he could apply for the five-year LLB programme based on his HSC marks, where he had scored 49 per cent. In 2019, he successfully appeared for the CET and secured admission to law school. He enrolled at Chembur Karnataka College of Law. His work environment became an unexpected source of inspiration. He was working with Bombay High Court Justice Riyaz Chagla, and on one occasion, drove the judge and the judge’s late father, senior counsel Iqbal Chagla, to the inauguration of the same law college in the year 2018. He saw this as a privilege, further motivating him to dedicate himself to his further studies.
Five years later, he cleared all 10 semesters and every paper without a single backlog. Adding a personal touch to his story, he notes that his sister, Rupali, who studied law at a private college in Vikhroli, has already cleared the AIBE (All India Bar Examination) and is currently practising; she was one of his inspirations, Ashok said.
The road ahead
Ashok is now on to the next stage of his legal career. He has taken the LLM CET, conducted recently by University of Mumbai, scoring 54 marks, and is keen to enrol for his specialised subject in Constitutional Law, or potentially Criminal Law if his scores guide him there. He currently serves as the driver for the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Shree Chandrashekhar.
Ashok Bhadrige (third from right) in a picture taken a few months ago, during CJI BR Gavai’s visit
Ashok’s primary focus is to secure his provisional ‘sanad’ and eventually clear the AIBE, which will allow him to practice. He faces a significant professional decision — to continue with his current high-paying government post would need to be surrendered to practice law. High Court officials and retired judges have advised him to reconsider his legal practice. They caution that pursuing it would likely mean giving up his government job and surrendering his residential quarters. Furthermore, he would face an initial few years without earnings, if he started his legal practice. Instead, since he is already a Class III state government employee, they recommend he pursue internal Class I postings within the high court.
“I cannot afford to give up on my quarters and children’s education. This job at present is very crucial for me. I may appear for my AIBE exam scheduled for next month, and on getting my certificate to practice, I may decide on surrendering my sanad,” said Ashok.
‘CJI patted my back’
“I was fortunate to have served as the on-duty driver for Justice BR Gavai for nearly a year and a half, starting in 2011,” said Ashok. This was before he became the present Chief Justice of India (CJI).” “I had the opportunity to run into the CJI a few months ago, when was at the Bombay High Court, soon after he had taken oath. While leaving, he recognised me. He called me by my name and I informed him of my passing my law examination. The CJI patted my back and said, “I’m happy that you’re now a law graduate.” “From high court driver to a law graduate, Ashok Bhadrige’s journey is truly inspirational,” said Advocate Dhanpal Jain, former visiting faculty at Chembur Karnataka Law College.
