Himachal chief justice takes oath

Shimla  :  Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar was Thursday sworn in the chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court at a simple ceremony in Raj Bhavan here.

“I am happy to be here,” he told reporters after taking the oath of office.

He said he was grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of this part of the country. “Now I would say this is my state,” he added.

Governor Urmila Singh administered the oath of office at a simple but impressive ceremony attended by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his cabinet colleagues, besides Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal and senior government functionaries.

Born July 30, 1957, Chief Justice Khanwilkar, who was elevated from the Bombay High Court, hails from Pune in Maharashtra.