While lauding the stalwarts of the Indian Constitution-making process, managing partner of OP Khaitan & Co, Gautam Khaitan remembers one of his great-grandfathers Devi Prasad Khaitan as the vanguard of the Indian legal profession this Republic Day. An illustrious lawyer and prominent statesman, DP Khaitan enjoyed the rare honour of being one of the architects of the Indian Constitution. A pioneer of modern Indian law, DP Khaitan was born on August 14, 1888. He graduated first class in Law from the prestigious Presidency College of Calcutta along with some of the most brilliant minds that included Rajendra Prasad, Badridas Goenka and JN Mazumdar among others. At a time when discrimination was at its peak, it was difficult for him to kickstart his career with a British firm. Consequently, he joined Manuel and Agarwalla.