COIMBATORE: Every morning, as advocates, litigants and court staff make their way into the Coimbatore District Court complex, one judge quietly draws attention, not by arriving in an official vehicle or chauffeur-driven car, but on a bicycle.
For PK Sivakumar, Judge of the Fifth Additional Sessions Court in Coimbatore, cycling to work is simply a way of life.
"He is a simple man. I have seen him pedalling to court on his bicycle. Despite being a judge, he prefers to walk around the court premises on his own. He even steps out occasionally for a cup of tea or to buy newspapers. Unlike the customary practice of being accompanied by court attendants, he chooses to walk alone, avoiding unnecessary ceremony," said PR Arulmoli, a former Government Pleader in Coimbatore.
Judge Sivakumar's simplicity extends beyond his daily commute. "He used to bring home-cooked lunch to court. Instead of eating in the judges' lounge, he would have lunch with court staff because he believes in treating everyone with equal respect. That humble gesture has earned him immense admiration among the employees," he said.
A native of Namakkal, the 53-year-old judicial officer has served as a magistrate and in subordinate courts across Salem, Coimbatore, Mettupalayam and Pudukkottai, carrying the same modest lifestyle wherever he has been posted. Even after assuming charge as a District Judge in Coimbatore, colleagues say his promotion has brought no change to his daily routine. For many at the court complex, his daily routine reflects a quiet commitment to humility.