The High Court Bar Association (HCBA), Kohima Bench, accorded a warm and heartfelt farewell to Justice Lanusungkum Jamir, Retired Judge of the Kolkatta High Court on April 6 at the Bar Room.

Justice Lanusungkum Jamir, Retired Judge of the Kolkatta High Court, in his speech, said he felt “extremely honoured” to stand before the High Court Bar Association, Kohima Bench , the very institution he described as the foundation of his professional and personal values.

“This is the Bar that taught me the values of dignity and integrity. The Bar is the foundation of what I was yesterday and what I am today,” he said, thanking the Association for its unwavering support throughout his journey.

Recalling the early days of the Kohima Bench Bar, Justice Jamir said that when the Bar was first formed, it began with only a handful of members. He shared that he was entrusted with the responsibility of Treasurer and went on to become the longest-serving Treasurer of the Association.

“I remember the good times and the bad times,” he said nostalgically, reflecting on the growth of the Bar and the memories shared among its members.

Speaking about his judicial career, Justice Jamir noted that after his elevation in May 2013, his journey on the Bench continued until his retirement, marking over 13 years of service. Looking back, he said walking down memory lane brought back “beautiful occasions” and meaningful moments shared with colleagues and members of the Bar.

“These are some of the meaningful memories that I have. I thank all the speakers for the wonderful things they have said about me. There is nothing much to say, but thank you so much for everything. Maybe I don’t deserve all those words, but I sincerely appreciate them,” he said with humility.

Reflecting on his retirement, Justice Jamir spoke about what he described as three types of retirement — one where a person does not live to see the date of retirement; another where one sees the retirement date from a sick bed; and the third, retiring in good health.

“God has been very gracious and loving, allowing me to see the best retirement — that is retirement with very good health,” he said.

Justice Jamir shared that on the day of his retirement, he “came back home with a calendar without dates and a pocket full of dreams “

Speaking at the Bar Room, CT Jamir , President, HCBA, Kohima Bench said the farewell would not be complete without recalling the early days of their professional journey together and the growth of the Bar over the years.

He noted that Justice Jamir completed his law from North-Eastern Hill University in 1988 and enrolled as an advocate under the Bar Council (then North East) in 1989. Thereafter, he began his legal practice in Kohima.

CT Jamir shared that he became closely acquainted with Justice Jamir after shifting his own practice to Kohima in 1999. “We used to joke, share light moments, and even dine together,” he recalled fondly.

Tracing his professional rise, CT Jamir stated that in 2008, Justice Jamir was appointed as Additional Senior Government Advocate and later elevated as Senior Government Advocate. In March 2009, he was appointed as Additional Advocate General for the State.

On May 22, 2013, Justice Jamir was elevated as a Judge of the Gauhati High Court. CT Jamir described this as a proud moment for the members of the High Court Bar Association, Kohima Bench, adding that despite being a small Bar, it has produced several judges over the years, and Justice Jamir is one of its distinguished members.

Recalling his style of functioning, CT Jamir remarked that though Justice Jamir appeared casual at times, he was never casual in conducting cases. “He had a magical power to identify the core issues from the papers. As a judge, you need not say many things within a short time, he would catch the issue,” he said.

He added that while some judges may take longer to grasp the crux of a matter, Justice Jamir possessed the rare ability to quickly understand the core point of a case  a calibre that set him apart.

CT Jamir further noted that 2013 was also significant as three northeastern states — High Court of Meghalaya, High Court of Manipur, and High Court of Tripura — were granted separate High Courts. Following these developments, Justice Jamir served in the High Court of Manipur and was later transferred to the principal seat of the Gauhati High Court, where he served as an Administrative Judge for a long period and was ranked number two in seniority.

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Subsequently, he was transferred to the Kolkatta High Court, from where he retired on February 28, 2026. After retirement, he has remained engaged with certain official assignments.

CT Jamir said that since Justice Jamir had been a long-standing member of the Bar before his elevation, the Bar members felt it was only fitting to organise a special programme to honour him upon his retirement, even though he had served in distant High Courts.

Expressing hope for his continued engagement in the legal field, CT Jamir said, “Though Lordship has retired as a Judge of the High Court, we hope he will continue to be seen in action — not only in courtrooms but also in other judicial and legal works.”

Concluding his address, he conveyed, on his personal behalf and on behalf of the Bar, heartfelt wishes for a happy, healthy and long retired life to Justice Lanusungkum Jamir.

President of the Nagaland Bar Association, A Zhimomi, also delivered a heartfelt address in honour of Justice Jamir.  Zhimomi said the occasion marked the closing of an important chapter in the life of someone who had been part of the first circle of friends he made at the High Court Bar Association. “We shared good moments, happiness, laughter, and sometimes even anger — but we remained a close-knit group,” he said.

Describing Justice Jamir’s journey as an “open book” to members of the fraternity, Zhimomi recalled his days as a legal practitioner, both on the private side and as government counsel. He noted that they had worked together in several cases before Justice Jamir’s elevation to the Bench.

Tracing his professional path, Zhimomi highlighted Justice Jamir’s transition from an advocate to his elevation as a Judge of the Gauhati High Court, and later his service in other High Courts, culminating in his retirement from the Kolkatta High Court.

He candidly acknowledged that during his tenure as a judge, Justice Jamir had faced certain “hiccups,” arising from circumstances both within and outside the system. “But hats off to him for overcoming those challenges,” Zhimomi remarked, praising his resilience and strength of character.

“From my personal knowledge, Justice Lanusungkum Jamir has the love of his family and friends, and he is loved by his friends. As a professional, he has earned the respect of his peers. He may have occupied one of the highest positions in public life, but more importantly, he has lived life to the full,” Zhimomi said.

He further observed that for judges, retirement is not an end but the beginning of a new chapter. On behalf of the Nagaland Bar Association and the legal fraternity of the State, Zhimomi extended his best wishes for a long, healthy and successful post-retirement life.

“Retirement is only a new beginning. We wish Your Lordship success in all new endeavours that you may undertake,” he said, concluding his address with gratitude and warm regards.

Earlier during the farewell program, Short voluntary speeches were also delivered. The programme was chaired by Lhousino Sale.

The programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by LT Sangtam, Additional Advocate General of Nagaland.