‘If you fail, the world doesn’t end’

MAKING HIS CASE: R Javanjal took 18 tries to pass his law exams

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: “Nothing is more precious than your life. If you fail in one exam or do not score up to the mark, the world does not end there,’’ says 50-year-old advocate Rajendra Javanjal. He should know. It took him 18 attempts and nine years to pass his three-year LLB course. Today, Javanjal is credited with getting over 100 acquittals in court.

A day after TOI reported about Prakash Karekar, a railway peon who passed the SSC in his 44th attempt, Javanjal’s story has come to light. Javanjal’s wife, a graudate who holds a diploma in taxation law, supported him. “She would even prepare notes for me. My mother, Suman, was my biggest strength,’’ says the advocate.

“Whenever I would check the result, I would have failed in some subject or the other. I did not lose courage and tried hard to achieve my goal. I wanted to become a lawyer and did not give up,’’ says Javanjal, who now argues cases of murder, attempt to murder, dacoity, extortion and so on.

Originally hailing from Sangli, Javanjal studied law at New Law College, Matunga. In his first exam in 1981, he failed in all subjects. In his next attempt, he passed only one subject, Mohammedan law, and in the next attempt he cleared crime law. “I completed my law course in nine years, appearing for exams 18 times. I also got support from my advocate friends, Sameer Tendulkar and Anup Mehta, who would encourage me a lot and sit with me while preparing for exams,’’ adds Javanjal.

Javanjal says, “You should try hard to achieve your goal. There is no short cut to getting success. I had to study nine years to become a lawyer.’’

Javanjal’s elder daughter passed her law degree course in the first attempt and secured a first class. His younger daughter is in the first year of junior college. “I don’t put pressure on my children over studies. However, I regularly interact with them about their exams and encourage them. In such times, when students are more prone to ending their lives, parents should not discuss their expectations in front of the children,’’ he added.

The Times of India, January 21, 2010