K. N. Choksy
Encyclopedia
Kairshasp Nariman Choksy, PC
, MP
(born February 7, 1933) (known as K. N. Choksy) is a Sri Lankan
lawyer, politician and a former member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
.
He was Cabinet Minister of Finance
under Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe
.
He had also served as Cabinet Minister of Constitutional & State Affairs from 1993 to 1994 under President D. B. Wijetunga and was a Member of Parliament from 1989 to 2010 continuiosly.
, North of Bombay, in the year 1885 in order to manage an established business house in the Coconut oil
industry at Colombo, belonging to a Bombay Parsi
family.
His maternal grandparents were also settled in Colombo, in the export-import trade in food-commodities. They donated the building and land called “Navroze Baug”, which is the religious centre of the Colombo Parsi residents.
Kairshasp’s father, Nariman K. Choksy, was born in Sri Lanka at the turn of the 19th century
. He was the first Parsi Advocate
in the country. Establishing a lucrative practice on the civil side, he was bestowed the honour by the then British Government of being appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1947, and later served as a Judge of the country’s Supreme Court from 1951. With the enactment of Sri Lanka’s Citizenship Laws after the Country’s independence in 1948, Nariman Choksy found himself (and a few other well established settlers of Indian origin) as becoming “stateless”. Upon this being brought to the notice of the incumbent Government, a law was enacted by Parliament in 1950 under which Nariman Choksy qualified for citizenship as a “Distinguished Citizen” of the Country.
in 1981. He appeared as lead-Counsel on one side or the other in many a civil Cause-celebre.
During the period 1989 to 1992, he successfully defended the country’s President Ranasinghe Premadasa
, as his Senior-Counsel, in a Petition filed seeking to annul the President’s election
. The case took 525 days of hearing before five Judges of the Supreme Court
, with 911 witnesses testifying.
. The Sri Lankan Constitution makes provision for a limited number of such appointments, so that the Professional and Academic communities could find representation in the Legislature without having to contest at elections.
He held office in Parliament as Cabinet Minister for Constitutional Affairs and State Affairs from 1993 to 1994, and thereafter as the Country’s Cabinet Minister of Finance
from 2001 to 2004. Choksy was a Member of Parliament
from 1989 to 2010 continuiosly.
and has published several books on religion. The second son, Khursheed, is Executive Director at the United States Chamber of Commerce
in Washington. The third son, Vishtasp, has taken to the family tradition of the Law and practices as a Lawyer
in Colombo, the third generation of Choksys to excel in his chosen profession.
President's Counsel (Sri Lanka)
President's Counsel is a professional rank, as their status is conferred by the president, recognised by the courts and wear silk gowns of a special design...
, MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(born February 7, 1933) (known as K. N. Choksy) is a Sri Lankan
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
lawyer, politician and a former member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
Parliament of Sri Lanka
The Parliament of Sri Lanka is the 225-member unicameral legislature of Sri Lanka. The members of Parliament are elected by proportional representation for six-year terms, with universal suffrage. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws...
.
He was Cabinet Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance of Sri Lanka
The Minister of Finance is an appointment in the Cabinet of Sri Lanka. The post was created in 1947 with the Ceylon gaining independence and establishing self governess. The post has always been held by a senior member of the ruling party and in the recent years by the President with a deputy...
under Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe
Ranil Wickremasinghe
Ranil Shriyan Wickremesinghe , MP, is a Sri Lankan politician and current Leader of the Opposition in the Sri Lankan parliament. He was Prime Minister of Sri Lanka twice, from May 7, 1993 to August 19, 1994 and from December 9, 2001 to April 6, 2004...
.
He had also served as Cabinet Minister of Constitutional & State Affairs from 1993 to 1994 under President D. B. Wijetunga and was a Member of Parliament from 1989 to 2010 continuiosly.
Early life
Kairshasp N. Choksy belongs to the small, yet well established and respected, Parsi community of Sri Lanka, of which he is currently the Anjuman Chairman. He was born in Colombo on 7th February 1933. His paternal grand-parents had migrated to Colombo from SuratSurat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
, North of Bombay, in the year 1885 in order to manage an established business house in the Coconut oil
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm . Throughout the tropical world, it has provided the primary source of fat in the diets of millions of people for generations. It has various applications in food, medicine, and industry...
industry at Colombo, belonging to a Bombay Parsi
Parsi
Parsi or Parsee refers to a member of the larger of the two Zoroastrian communities in South Asia, the other being the Irani community....
family.
His maternal grandparents were also settled in Colombo, in the export-import trade in food-commodities. They donated the building and land called “Navroze Baug”, which is the religious centre of the Colombo Parsi residents.
Kairshasp’s father, Nariman K. Choksy, was born in Sri Lanka at the turn of the 19th century
19th century
The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
. He was the first Parsi Advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
in the country. Establishing a lucrative practice on the civil side, he was bestowed the honour by the then British Government of being appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1947, and later served as a Judge of the country’s Supreme Court from 1951. With the enactment of Sri Lanka’s Citizenship Laws after the Country’s independence in 1948, Nariman Choksy found himself (and a few other well established settlers of Indian origin) as becoming “stateless”. Upon this being brought to the notice of the incumbent Government, a law was enacted by Parliament in 1950 under which Nariman Choksy qualified for citizenship as a “Distinguished Citizen” of the Country.
Legal career
Choksy received his education in Colombo in the English language at a school founded by Christian Missionaries. From boyhood, he imbued the legal atmosphere in his father’s Law Chambers and being called to the Sri Lankan Bar as an Advocate in 1958 rapidly established himself in a leading practice in the civil courts of the metropolis of Colombo. Choksy was appointed as President's CounselPresident's Counsel (Sri Lanka)
President's Counsel is a professional rank, as their status is conferred by the president, recognised by the courts and wear silk gowns of a special design...
in 1981. He appeared as lead-Counsel on one side or the other in many a civil Cause-celebre.
During the period 1989 to 1992, he successfully defended the country’s President Ranasinghe Premadasa
Ranasinghe Premadasa
Ranasinghe Premadasa was the 3rd President of Sri Lanka from January 2, 1989 to May 1, 1993. Before that, he served as the Prime Minister in the government headed by J. R. Jayewardene from February 6, 1978 to January 1, 1989...
, as his Senior-Counsel, in a Petition filed seeking to annul the President’s election
Sri Lankan presidential election, 1988
The Sri Lankan presidential election of 1988 was the second presidential election of Sri Lanka. Nominations were accepted on 10 November 1988, and the election was held on 19 December 1988. Electoral participation was 55.32%...
. The case took 525 days of hearing before five Judges of the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is the highest court of the nation of Sri Lanka. The Supreme Court is the highest and final judicial instance of record and is empowered to exercise its powers, subject to the provisions of the Constitution. The Court has ultimate appellate jurisdiction in...
, with 911 witnesses testifying.
Political career
He entered the Sri Lanka Parliament in February 1989 as a nominated Member on the National ListNational List Member of Parliament
A National List Member of Parliament is an unelected Member of Parliament who is appointed by a political party or an independent group to the Parliament of Sri Lanka. The number of national list MPs allocated to a contending party or an independent group depends on the proportion to their share...
. The Sri Lankan Constitution makes provision for a limited number of such appointments, so that the Professional and Academic communities could find representation in the Legislature without having to contest at elections.
He held office in Parliament as Cabinet Minister for Constitutional Affairs and State Affairs from 1993 to 1994, and thereafter as the Country’s Cabinet Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance of Sri Lanka
The Minister of Finance is an appointment in the Cabinet of Sri Lanka. The post was created in 1947 with the Ceylon gaining independence and establishing self governess. The post has always been held by a senior member of the ruling party and in the recent years by the President with a deputy...
from 2001 to 2004. Choksy was a Member of Parliament
Parliament of Sri Lanka
The Parliament of Sri Lanka is the 225-member unicameral legislature of Sri Lanka. The members of Parliament are elected by proportional representation for six-year terms, with universal suffrage. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws...
from 1989 to 2010 continuiosly.
Family
Choksy is married to Freny (nee Cooper) from Bombay. They have three sons. The eldest, Jamsheed, is Professor of Central Eurasian Studies and History and Director of Middle Eastern Studies. He is a scholar in ZoroastrianismZoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
and has published several books on religion. The second son, Khursheed, is Executive Director at the United States Chamber of Commerce
United States Chamber of Commerce
The United States Chamber of Commerce is an American lobbying group representing the interests of many businesses and trade associations. It is not an agency of the United States government....
in Washington. The third son, Vishtasp, has taken to the family tradition of the Law and practices as a Lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in Colombo, the third generation of Choksys to excel in his chosen profession.