Ashok H. Desai (18 December 1932 – 13 April 2020) was an Indian lawyer, practising in the Supreme Court of India. He held office as the Attorney General of India from 9 July 1996 to 6 May 1998. Earlier, he was the Solicitor General of India from 18 December 1989 to 2 December 1990. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan award and the Law Luminary Award in 2001. He was given an honorary doctorate in "recognition of his contribution to the field of law and jurisprudence" by the North Orissa University in September 2009. Education After finishing his schooling in Bombay, he studied at the Fergusson College in Pune and thereafter at the Government Law College, Bombay. He graduated with a law degree in 1952. He thereafter joined the London School of Economics. In the summer of 1955, he was one of the first students from Great Britain to be invited on a study visit to China. In 1956, he graduated from the London University with a BSc in economics. The same year, he was called to the Bar from Lincoln's Inn, London. He was part of the Harvard International Seminar in 1967. Career Desai started practice in Bombay High Court in 1956. He was designated as a Senior Advocate on 8 August 1977. As an Advocate he appeared in a large number of cases in the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court particularly those involving issues of accountability in public life & transparency in Governance. Some of the cases of general interest include:- (a) Sakharam Binder which struck down the pre censorship of dramatic performances. The play "Sakharam Binder" as being censored by the police on the ground of obscenity. Justice Kania (later on the Chief Justice of India) saw the play at a special audition. He set aside the police decision and also struck down the relevant provisions of the Act as unguided and unconstitutional The trial itself became the subject matter of books and other plays. (b) Piloo Modi This case been discussed by Professor Gyan Prakash in his book " Mumbai Fables" under the heading " The State On Trial And The City Of Conspiracy ". where the allotment of Backbay land reclamation was set aside. The case advanced the proposition that land belonging to the State must be treated as being held in public trust and must realize a fair price."By lowering the standing