From driver’s seat to courtroom dreams; meet Ashok Bhadrige who became lawyer at 42

Securing High Court post 

Born in Mumbai and having roots connected to Ale village in Junnar taluka, Pune district, Ashok’s early life was marked by the necessity of work. His parents, Vilas,65, and Sindhu,63, now reside with him and his family in the state government quarters in Tilak Nagar, Mumbai. After his schooling at Diamond Jubilee School for Boys, Mazagaon, in English medium, his career began in as supporting role with an LIC agent in Sion Koliwada, where he rose from a service boy to a service manager. By 2007-2008, he was earning a salary of around Rs 5000 per month, with an additional Rs 4000 in incentives. 

However, financial stability was hard to come by, and his employment was often temporary. In 2003, he began working on a contract basis as a driver for MTNL. His official Bombay High Court journey began with an advertisement in 2008, leading to an ad hoc position in 2009. Initially, his work was erratic, being hired for only ten days at a time, resulting in a fluctuating and low monthly salary of about Rs 8000. It was in 2012, after a probationary period of two years, that he secured a permanent post as a driver, with a starting salary of approximately Rs 14,000. Today, as a driver for the High Court, his monthly earnings total around R85,000 (approximate gross salary after HRA deduction is Rs 1.02 lakh) — a solid foundation for his family, including his wife Yogita, 37, a tuition class teacher, and their two daughters, Antra,9, and Yasasvi,6. 

Decade-long struggle 

Despite securing a government job, Ashok’s most formidable challenge lay in securing a graduate degree. He was enrolled in the B Com program at Siddharth College of Arts, Science, and Commerce, but his graduation remained pending for a gruelling ten years, from 2006 to 2016. He encountered persistent difficulties, particularly failing in three subjects — Accounts paper 1, 2 and 3 — compounded by a critical syllabus change in 2009. Even after re-enrolling in 2012-2013 at Mumbai University, he continued to struggle, failing in the management group examination. Ashok describes giving almost twenty attempts to clear the papers before finally achieving his B Com degree 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 program. 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 the 3-year LLB program. 

5-yr LLB triumph 

Undeterred by the crushing disappointment, Ashok refused to let the 4 per cent deficiency define his dream. He realised a different route was available: he could apply for the 5-year LLB program based on his Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) marks, where he had scored 49 per cent, which he had cleared in June 2002. In 2019, seizing this opportunity, he successfully appeared for the CET and secured admission to law school. 

According to Ashok, he enrolled at Chembur Karnataka College of Law and pursued his studies while continuing his demanding job as a High Court driver. 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. 

Ashok’s five years of relentless hard work, juggling duties at home and work while maintaining a rigorous academic schedule, finally culminated in success. He cleared all ten 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 during his law studies, Ashok said.

Ashok Bhadrige (third from right) in a picture taken a few months ago, during CJI BR Gavai’s visit

The road ahead 

Having secured his LLB degree, Ashok is now actively pursuing the next stage of his legal career. He has taken the LLM CET, conducted recently by the Department of Law, University of Mumbai, by 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; and he hasn’t yet mentioned to him that he has passed the law course, Ashok said. 

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, forcing a return to his earlier house in Ulhasnagar. 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, which Ashok is now keen to take up, along with his further legal studies. 

“I have not decided yet, but 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 examination scheduled for next month (November 30), 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 would travel from Ulhasnagar to the government quarters near Mantralaya, where the judges resided. I used to leave my house by 6.30 am for a 9 am duty, which would often end by 11 pm, and I would reach home around 1 am,” he added. 

“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, ‘main khush hu, ke tum law graduate hue’ (I’m happy that you’re now a law graduate).” 

“The High Court has 85 drivers, of which around 15 drivers are graduates, and there are three law graduates, including me,” said Ashok. 

Prerequisite for success 

Ashok’s story is a clear, shining example that dedication transcends age, status, and early failures. It is a powerful reminder that with enough perseverance and a willingness to explore different avenues, even the most challenging goals are achievable. 

“From High Court driver to a law graduate, Ashok Bhadrige’s journey is truly inspirational. Despite challenging circumstances, his unwavering determination to complete his LLB is a testament to the power of education. His success highlights how good education serves as a gateway to opportunities that enhance earning potential and contribute to a better quality of life,” said Advocate Dhanpal Jain, former visiting faculty at Chembur Karnataka Law College. 

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