Story highlights "The whole country has found justice," victim's father says after high court ruling

The gang rape case led to protests across India and media coverage around the world

New Delhi (CNN) Four men convicted of a gang rape that shocked India and attracted worldwide attention will be executed.

India's Supreme Court on Friday upheld a lower court's decision to sentence the men to death.

The judgment met with applause in the courtroom, according to CNN affiliate News18.

"We are very happy that (the) Supreme Court has heard our voice, and that they understood Nirbhaya's pain in this matter, and that along with Nirbhaya the whole country has found justice," the victim's father, Badrinath Singh, told reporters outside the court, using a nickname for his daughter that means "fearless one."

"We need to work so that the type of crime that happened to Nirbhaya will not happen again," Asha Singh, the victim's mother, said at a press briefing.