Chief Judge Merrick B Garland, who was presiding over the ceremony, then called on "the stars of the show" Srinivasan's 11-year-old twins Maya and Vikram to assist in the wrapping of the robe on their dad to sustained applause.

In his initial remarks, Srinivasan gave a taste of his signature humour, saying he was humbled by the “honored and distinguished guests and some of my somewhat less honourable friends from my earlier years.”