Indian-American lawyer Neal Katyal challenges Trump tariffs, ‘Kada’ symbolises his roots in SC battle

PTC Web Desk: In a courtroom battle that grabbed national attention in the United States, a small symbol of faith quietly became part of a much larger constitutional fight. When the US Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling against President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff measures, one of the key voices challenging those powers was Indian-American lawyer Neal Katyal. After the judgment, Katyal summed up the moment with a powerful line: “Presidents are powerful, but our Constitution is more powerful still.”

Katyal had argued that Trump’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs on imports from America’s trading partners went beyond the limits of presidential authority. He described the tariffs as unfair and unconstitutional, telling the court that emergency powers cannot be stretched to bypass the checks and balances laid down in the Constitution.

But beyond the legal arguments, what caught attention was a personal gesture.

During the hearings, Katyal shared a photograph on social media showing a traditional Punjabi ‘kada’ resting on top of a legal brief related to the case. In his post, he said he was thinking of his father, who had come to the United States in search of opportunity and freedom. “May the Constitution win,” he wrote.

The ‘kada’, a steel bracelet worn by Sikhs as one of the five articles of faith, symbolises strength, unity and commitment to righteousness. For Katyal, it appeared to represent more than tradition, it was a reminder of his roots and the values passed down by his immigrant parents.

Born in Chicago to Indian immigrants, his mother a paediatrician and his father an engineer, Katyal went on to study at Dartmouth College and Yale Law School. Over the years, he built a distinguished legal career. He served as Acting Solicitor General of the United States during the Obama administration and is now a professor of national security law at Georgetown University Law Centre. He is also a partner at a leading law firm in Washington, DC.

Katyal often proudly describes himself as the “son of immigrants.” His journey, from the child of Indian professionals to one of the country’s most respected Supreme Court advocates, reflects the very ideals of opportunity and constitutional protection that were at the heart of the case.

In the end, the legal battle was about limits on presidential power. But for many, the image of the simple steel bracelet resting on critical court papers became a quiet reminder that personal faith, family history and constitutional values can sometimes come together in the most powerful ways.