He had obtained his law degree in 1976 but began practice almost 50 years later, after retirement. Today BL Block’s Gopinath Sarkar, 77, dresses in a black coat and helps clients get justice.

Sarkar was born in Arambagh in 1945 and moved to Calcutta for college. He completed two Bachelors degrees, in biological sciences and then zoology (Honours). He also obtained a law degree from Calcutta University but kept it on hold and took up a biological science teaching job instead.

“One takes some 15 years to establish a law practice but I was married by the time and had responsibilities,” says Sarkar, who joined Narain Dass Bangur Memorial Multipurpose School in Bangur in 1973 and retirement in 1995. Education minister Bratya Basu was his student, he adds.

Post-retirement, Sarkar stayed busy with tuitions, his new-born grandson and was even the BL Block association president from 2017 to 2020. “I had almost forgotten that I had a law degree till my two friends and neighbours — Sunil Chakraborty and Shyamal Dey Sannamath — got behind my back to return to it. So I applied to the Bar Council and began practising from 2022.”

Chakraborty was a high court advocate himself and took Sarkar under his wing. But he succumbed to a heart attack in 2023 after which Sarkar shifted to Bidhannagar court at Mayukh Bhavan.

“Here I was on my own and, often contemplated quitting,” he recalls with a heavy heart. “I was older than the others but they were my seniors at work. Some senior lawyers had even been my students. But then a judicial magistrate guessed my dilemma, called me to his room, and asked me not to give up,” says Sarkar, who put up a brave front and marched ahead.

“Now I help with affidavits, get multiple property mutation cases, and am even fighting a domestic violence case on behalf of a former student. People know me as “mastermoshai”, respect me, and know I won’t be dishonest,” Sarkar says, adding that it has not been easy.

“It’s been decades almost 50 years since I cleared my exams so have had to buy books worth Rs 10-15,000 to refresh my memory,” he says. “Then there is the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) but cases that began with IPC are continuing with that. Whenever I’m faced with a difficult case I rope in senior lawyers. I receive lots of help from Soma Mondal, the bar association secretary, and Dutimoy Bhattacharya, the bar association treasurer, who was my student. Lawyers like Tara Basu and Sudip Chowdhury help me too.”

Sarkar’s message to others his age is to not waste time. “I’m engaged in an interesting profession, get to meet eminent citizens and the income supplements my pension,” he says. Last year, the Supreme Court had asked courts to hold Yoga Day events and Sarkar, having been a student of the late yoga expert Monotosh Chowdhury, proudly led the others.

“My work is challenging but I have the energy to make multiple visits to offices for paperwork. And I feel satisfied if I’m able to get work done honestly,” he says.