On 25th January, Justice M. Fathima Beevi, the first woman to serve as a judge in the Supreme Court of India, was posthumously honored with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award in the field of Public Affairs.
The former Supreme Court judge, who passed away at the age of 96 in November 2023, attained this prestigious recognition. Justice Beevi, a trailblazer, was not only the first woman but also the first Muslim woman appointed to the higher judiciary in the country.
Born in Kerala in 1927, she was encouraged by her father to pursue a career in law. In 1950, she achieved the top position in the Bar Council exam, securing the distinction of being the first woman to receive a Bar Council gold medal.
Commencing her career as an advocate in Kerala, Justice Beevi progressively rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a district and sessions judge in 1974. In 1980, she joined the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal and, in 1983, was appointed as a High Court judge.
A historic milestone was achieved in 1989 when Justice Beevi became the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court. Her tenure not only marked her as the first Muslim woman in the higher judiciary but also as the inaugural woman Supreme Court judge in Asia.
Following her retirement in 1993, Justice Beevi continued to contribute to public service. She served as a member of the National Human Rights Commission and later took on the role of Governor of Tamil Nadu.
Notably, she resigned from the position of Governor of Tamil Nadu after rejecting the mercy petitions filed by four condemned prisoners in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Justice M Fathima Beevi’s impactful career and contributions to the legal and judicial landscape have been posthumously acknowledged with the prestigious Padma Bhushan.
