My Lord, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is my honour to welcome you to this discussion marking the launch of The Practitioner’s Guide to International Family Law: An Indian Perspective. This Guide is not a dusty tome to be shelved—it is a living instrument, a steady lamp in the often murky corridors of cross-border matrimonial disputes, parental rights, and surrogacy dilemmas. It is designed to guide families and legal practitioners alike through some of the most complex legal thickets of our time. I begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to my father, Mr. Anil Malhotra. His decades-long commitment to legal scholarship and advocacy form the very foundation of this project. He has been my constant guide—the Krishna to my Arjuna—counselling with wisdom, intervening with verses, and offering clarity when fog of law and life cloud the path. If this Guide reflects even a fraction of his insight, it will serve not only as a reference but as a testimony to legal perseverance. It is also my privilege to welcome our distinguished speakers. His Lordship Justice A.K. Sikri, whose judicial restraint and clarity have long illumined the often turbulent waters of family law, stands as a beacon of jurisprudential balance. His reflections on Parental Alienation Syndrome and his fidelity to constitutional values have reshaped the contours of how we view familial relationships within the Indian legal framework. Senior Advocate R.S. Cheema’s advocacy, marked by surgical precision and constitutional depth, continues to strengthen the edifice of rights-based family law. Emeritus Professor Dr. Balram K. Gupta’s lifelong journey in legal theory has inspired generations to engage with law as both science and dharma. Ms. Mrunalini Deshmukh brings unparalleled mastery to the practice of matrimonial law—her approach fluid, principled, and transformative. And Shri Ramesh Inder Singh, Padma Shri awardee and former Chief Information Commissioner, reminds us that transparency is the cornerstone of family law, for secrecy too often shields injustice. We meet at a moment of profound transition. The Indian family, long shaped by joint households and enduring values, now navigates a global legal landscape: Hague Abduction Convention disputes, surrogacy regulation, cross-border custody enforcement. As the revered Tamil philosopher Thiruvalluvar once wrote, “A home where virtue resides is a true home.” That virtue today must reside not only in conduct, but in law. This Guide refuses the rigidity of static dogma. It embraces the law as an evolving force—one that must respond to both the needs of a modern diaspora and the enduring sanctity of familial relationships. Every clause, every judgment, every precedent ultimately affects the lived realities of parents and children—from Chandigarh to California. Before I conclude, I must pay tribute to my uncle, Advocate Ranjit Malhotra. As the first Indian Felix Scholar at SOAS (LL.M., 1993), and a stalwart of the IAFL, IBA, and other international legal associations, his contributions to international family law have been formidable. From co-authoring nine books with my father to presenting at Harvard on child abduction law, his work reflects integrity, commitment, and internationalism. His testimony before the Rajya Sabha on surrogacy law reform stands as an enduring public service. Staying with the theme of family, I thank my mother, my sister, and our extended family for their unwavering encouragement. Without their love and strength, this work would not have come to life. I also wish to recognise the exceptional team at Oakbridge Publishers—especially Shreesh and Vikesh—for their professionalism and dedication. Finally, I thank the Bar Council of Punjab & Haryana. Your vision and meticulous planning have enabled this discussion. To everyone attending today—virtually and in spirit—I say: welcome. May our deliberations today be marked by vigour, empathy, and scholarly integrity. Let us chart new tributaries in international family law, guided always by the constitutional compass.
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