The Man Who Once Rolled Beedis in Kerala Is Now a Judge in the US!

The beginning of the year heralded a new dawn in the life of Keralite Surendran K Pattel as he was sworn in as the judge of the 240th Judicial District Court in Texas' Fort Bend county. In the US, district judges are elected through elections, and Pattel, 51, won the first round of voting by defeating the incumbent judge. Life was tough for young Pattel, the son of daily wage earners. He had to work as a laborer in a beedi rolling unit to make ends meet and complete his studies. It was an uphill task to complete his graduation, but his unwavering commitment saw him through the tough times. After his graduation, he enrolled for LLB at a college in Kozhikode. Pattel worked in a hotel while he was pursuing LLB and after completing it he straightaway began practicing law. In a turn of events, he married Shubha, a nurse, and shifted to Delhi where he worked in the Supreme Court. In 2007, Shubha got an opportunity to work in the US. Pattel also moved base to the US and after working for some time in a supermarket, he boldly resumed his studies and appeared as well as cleared the Texas bar exam.  Following his admission to the University of Houston Law Center's LL.M. program, which he completed with distinction, he resumed his legal career. With his passion for law, he overcame all hurdles in life to become a judge in the US.