The Vijay Tulpule Trophy
Awarded to the winners of the 38th All India Advocates’ Cricket Tournament
The late Adv. Vijay Traymbak Tulpule (1943 to 2017) was a criminal trial lawyer at the Bombay Bar and Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor for the State of Maharashtra. Before he enrolled as an advocate, he was a Bombay Ranji Trophy probable.
His life
- 1943Born in Mumbai on 22 September, the son of the cardiologist Traymbak Hari Tulpule. The family home in Dadar was a meeting place for freedom-movement activists.
- 1959Finished school at King George High School, Dadar. Studied at Elphinstone College, then St. Xavier’s College, where he graduated in 1964.
- 1967Graduated in law from Government Law College, Mumbai.
- 1968Enrolled as an advocate on 27 March with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa. Joined the chamber of Adv. Ramrao Adik, then practised at the Dadar Court, mostly on the criminal side.
- 1992 to 1994Went on a six-day hunger strike for the City Civil Court to be given the jurisdiction of a district court. It ended when the Law Minister called on him and promised action.
- 1994 to 1999President and Patron of the Indian Advocates Cricket Association. Known as Guruji in Advocates Cricket.
- 1998 to 2000Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor for the State of Maharashtra in the High Court.
- 2017Died in Mumbai on 29 September, aged 74. The Bombay High Court held a Full Court Reference in his memory on 17 November.
Sport
Tributes at the reference describe him as a university champion who played alongside Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar. He sponsored young players at Dadar Union Club and Matunga Gymkhana and led the Advocates’ team in the Indian High Courts Cricket Tournament.
Adv. Deepak Thakre recalled an all India advocates’ final at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore where he scored 90 and was given a standing ovation, among others by the then Chief Justice of India and the spinner Erapalli Prasanna.
Off the cricket field he was president of volleyball, carrom and badminton associations, promoted table tennis, paid for tournaments and helped athletes with money.
At the Bar
He was a criminal trial lawyer and a noted cross-examiner, and also practised civil, industrial and constitutional law, up to the Supreme Court. As Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor he handled State appeals, confirmation cases and detention matters. He appeared before the Lentin and Srikrishna Commissions.
In a murder appeal that reached the High Court after 13 years, he persuaded the Division Bench that the acquittal was wrong. Asked why he was not pressing for the death sentence, he said that as an officer of the Court he was asking only for life imprisonment, and insisted that his statement be recorded. The Supreme Court endorsed that stand.
Almost 45 juniors trained in his chamber. Adv. Uma Wagle recalled that to join it you had to be a sportsman or an artist.
In his name
When the Full Court Reference was held in 2017, the Advocates’ Association of Western India was running a Vijay Tulpule Cricket Championship Trophy, and the Mumbai Cricket Association one for under-13 teams.
In October 2026 the winners of the 38th All India Advocates’ Cricket Tournament receive The Vijay Tulpule Trophy.
Rizvi Shield/Plate
BACA has named a second award the Rizvi Shield/Plate. Who it goes to and how it is played for are still being confirmed and will be published here.
Presentation
Presented on 24 October, the day of the finals. The time and the venue are to be announced. The Head of the Association hands The Vijay Tulpule Trophy to the winning captain.