sathasivam enrolled as an advocate on 25 july 1973 at madras. he was then appointed to the post of additional government pleader, and later as the special government pleader in the madras high court. he was appointed a permanent judge of the madras high court on 8 january 1996, and transferred to the punjab and haryana high court on 20 april 2007. he was elevated to the post of judge of supreme court on 21 august 2007. during his tenure as chief justice, he was the chairman of the general council of the gujarat national law university. he succeeded sheila dikshit as the governor of kerala in august 2014.