When the young Yash Ghai, an ethic Indian growing up in colonial Kenya, applied for a place at Oxford University, the British civil servant handling the application laughed in his face.
'She asked me why I wanted to go to Oxford. I said it was because Oxford is a great university. She laughed, and said even European boys have difficulty getting in. She suggested I try Sheffield instead.''
This was Kenya in the 1950s, where different races were segregated and openings for non-whites limited. But Professor Ghai, as he now is, had the last laugh.
While the official insisted on him applying to Sheffield, the teenager made his own inquiries about Oxford. After passing an entrance exam, and learning a little Latin, he won a place.
It was the beginning of a career which has seen Professor Ghai become one of the world's leading experts in constitutional law. But he is more than that. The softly spoken academic often plays the role of constitutional firefighter, called in to help nations who have been ripped apart by war find a framework for peace.
From Sri Lanka to Afghanistan, from Fiji to Nepal and Cambodia, Professor Ghai has played a part in trying to convince wary governments - and their opponents - of the benefits of developing a system along sound constitutional lines.
This involves setting an agenda for reform, allowing public participation in the process, increasing awareness of democracy, and protecting human rights.