New Delhi: Kalpana Das Chandrachud, the wife of the outgoing Supreme Court Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, said that her childhood in Kerala gifted her a life without boundaries. It was a time when there were no discussions of religion or caste. While living in Kerala, she celebrated Eid, Onam and Christmas with friends from various religious backgrounds, she added.

Kalpana Das lived in Kasaragod district, Kerala, during certain stages of her school and college years. She grew up in an environment where there were no discussions about religion or caste. Kalpana Das knew she was a Hindu, but was unaware that different religions had their own festivals. During her time in Kerala, she had Muslim family friends. During Eid, she would visit their homes and enjoy vegetarian food with them. She said that she did not know Eid was not a celebration of her own family.

During Diwali, Muslim friends would participate in the celebrations at their homes. Onam, Christmas and all such festivals were celebrated together. Kalpana Das mentioned that all these celebrations enriched her childhood in a special way, speaking in a special edition released by the Supreme Court's Centre for Planning and Research about her husband Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud.

Kalpana Das is the daughter of Dr P K Das, a scientist at the Central Plantation Crop Research Centre in Kasaragod. Dr P K Das, originally from Odisha, lived with his family in Kasaragod. Kalpana completed her primary education at Durga High School in Kanjangad and finished her SSLC there. She pursued her pre-degree at Kasaragod Government College and her degree at St Aloysius College in Mangalapuram.

Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud revealed that Kalpana Das only wore the wedding ring and no other jewellery for their marriage. He shared this detail during the farewell ceremony organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Kalpana and D Y Chandrachud got married in 2008. They are both vegetarians, and Chief Justice Chandrachud mentioned that being a vegetarian is a lifestyle choice. 

He revealed that Kalpana Das agreed to marry only after taking an assurance from him that she would be allowed to wear no other jewellery except the wedding ring. He described her as his closest friend and a strong supporter in every aspect of his life.

In 2015, when Chandrachud was the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, he and Kalpana adopted two children with special needs – Priyanka and Mahiya. 

Chief Justice Chandrachud's first wife, Rashmi, had passed away due to cancer. The children from that marriage, Abhinav and Chintan, are both lawyers.