The initial hearing of Hussain Umarji, the cleric accused of plotting the burning of Sabarmati Express in February 2002, was held in Godhra a year after the unfortunate occurrence. The atmosphere outside the court was communally charged with a hostile crowd of thousands. Advocate Subramaniam Hariharan Iyer was representing Umarji. He seamlessly merged with the swarm in plain clothes and slipped into the court discreetly, only to put on his black coat and stand up when his turn came to argue.Iyer, upright and courageous, always stood up for truth. Umarji was later acquitted of all charges. Iyer provided his services for several high-profile cases after the post-Godhra riots including those against Maya Kodnani. But his work in support of the minority community was hardly what defined him. Iyer was first and foremost a comrade fighting for hutment and slum dwellers, tribals, manual scavengers, glass industry workers, vegetable vendors, fishermen, and so on.S.H. Iyer started out as a union leader at The Times of India press in Ahmedabad. The workers at the newspaper establishment were fragmented and paid uneven wages for the exact same work. Iyer played a key role in the subsequent formation of a pan-India federation that ultimately led to improved conditions for press workers.Iyer’s more remarkable work, however, was as an advocate in Gujarat high court. He practiced for decades, primarily doing pro bono work for the indigent. Iyer was unique in that he shunned any and every financial incentive and declined all cases that would bring him money. He never represented employers or those who were well-off. He always insisted on representing sections of the society who were not so fortunate or powerful. Iyer started out on a bicycle, then graduated to a moped and in his last years used a scooter. When courts nowadays are full of rich lawyers chasing cases of corporations and big money, Iyer was never ashamed or afraid of coming to the imposing premises of Gujarat high court on a scooter. In fact, he took pride in being the representative of the underdogs of society, and in many instances was successful in improving their lives.Whether it was saving huts from demolition drives, ensuring rehabilitation for those evicted, fighting scams by government that deprived the needy of their rightful payments, proving in court that manual scavenging and sewer deaths were a reality in the state after the Gujarat government had categorically denied their existence, securing reservation quota in public sector jobs for persons with disabilities or arguing cases in labour courts on behalf of workers, Iyer was always on a mission.However, something else that set him apart was his lack of interest in getting credit for his work or media attention. He largely stayed away from the limelight. He was content often to play second fiddle and work collaboratively if the objectives were fulfilled.Iyer was associated with Ahmedabad-based NGO Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM) led by the late Advocate Mukul Sinha. He also worked with the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN), based in New Delhi and led by Advocate Colin Gonsalves. Of note, Iyer’s writings in collaboration with HRLN on Special Economic Zones (SEZs) highlighted their negative impact on workers. He continued to work on court matters till his final days.The greatest impact of his legal work was felt by approximately twenty thousand hutment dwellers whose homes were saved from demolition by stay orders from courts over a period of many years. His grandest legal victory was a landmark judgement in favor of glass and quartz industry workers suffering from silicosis as a direct result of their occupation. He died on November 4, 2026, after a brief illness. With his death, the poor and the marginalised of Gujarat have lost their selfless messiah.Advocate Mahesh C. Bhatt practiced human rights law for six decades in Gujarat high court and shared his chamber with S.H. Iyer.