June 15: The South Dakota Supreme Court approved the appointment of Janki V. Sharma as a new full-time magistrate judge for the Seventh Judicial Circuit, last month, and she has set a precedent by taking the oath of office on a Ramayana.
Over the years, there have been several Indian American lawmakers who have taken the oath of office on the Bhagwad Gita. In 2017, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, from Illinois, took his oath on the Gita. He was not the first one, though. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, the first ever Hindu to be elected to the US House of Representatives, from Hawaii, had also taken the oath on a Gita.
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal from Washington held a copy of both the Bhagavad Gita and the United States Constitution, when she was sworn into office, in 2017. Two years later, Illinois State Senator Ram Villivalam, the first Indian American elected official in the Illinois state legislature, took his oath on a Gita.
In an interview to India Today, Sharma she said she grew up learning Ramayan in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzzaffarnagar.
“I was born into a priest family from Muzzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. I grew up learning Ramayan, so taking the Judicial Oath on Ramayan was a decision that came quite naturally to me. In addition, my grandfather, Brahmarishi Pandit Jagmohan Maharaj was a dedicated Ramayan singer and so is my father, Pandit Vishvamohan Maharaj,” she said.
“My aim is to uphold judicial integrity and law and to be a fair and impartial Judge to all the litigants that will appear in front of me. I will decide cases without fear or favor and all litigants will be treated with respect and dignity in my court,” she said. “My advice to aspiring law professionals is to remain courageous in their endeavors and life goals, but never compromise on integrity. Always be kind.”
Sharma was born and raised in India and moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 2001, where she received her two degrees: Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Management from the Doane University. In 2016, she received her law degree from the University of Nebraska College of Law.
The Ramayan has been a source of inspiration and fascination for several political leaders, including former President Barack Obama.
In his book ‘A Promised Land’, Obama wrote that he “always held a special place in my imagination” for India due to his childhood years spent in Indonesia listening to the epic Hindu tales of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.