Dr. Justice Kanta Sharma: Balancing Justice

Edited by Arishita Gupta

In this interview, Justice Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court reflects on more than 33 years on the bench and the often-unspoken realities of judicial life. Drawing on her experience as a magistrate, Sessions Judge, and High Court Justice, she speaks candidly about mental health, compassion fatigue, and the emotional toll of dispensing justice.

Justice Sharma challenges the long-standing expectation that judges must remain stoic and silent about vulnerability, emphasizing that judicial well-being is essential to a healthy justice system. She also addresses the growing impact of online harassment and gendered abuse targeting women judges, and why such attacks threaten not only individuals but the integrity of the judiciary itself.

From resilience and peer support to music as a source of balance, this conversation offers a powerful reminder that behind every robe is a human being—and that caring for judges’ well-being is fundamental to upholding justice.