Ram Lalla’s ‘next friends’ who fought court battles for decades

Deoki Nandan Agarwal, a retired high court judge and vice-chairman of the VHP, represented Ram Lalla in court. Thakur Prasad Verma, a professor at Banaras Hindu University, and Triloki Nath Pandey, a VHP office-bearer, also served as ‘next friends’ of Ram Lalla. The consecration ceremony is a proud and nostalgic moment for the family members of these ‘next friends’.