Justice Fathima Beevi, the first woman judge of the Supreme Court died at a private hospital here on Thursday, official sources said. She was 96.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed condolences, recalling her journey from overcoming the educational challenges that girls face to becoming the first woman judge of the Supreme Court -- having started her legal career as a munsiff.
"Justice Beevi was the first woman from the Muslim community to be a part of the higher judiciary, as she was able to overcome the negative aspects of social situations by seeing them as challenges," the CM asserted.
The sources said her body was being brought back to her residence in Pathanamthitta, Kerala. Her burial will be held tomorrow (November 24) at the Pathanamthitta Juma Masjid, they said.
Here are ten facts about her life
- She was the Judge of the Supreme Court from October 6, 1989 to April 29, 1992.
- Beevi was Tamil Nadu Governor from January 25, 1997 to July 3, 2001.
- She was a member of National Human Rights Commission of India from 1993 to 1997.
- She received Hon. D. Litt. and Mahila Shiromani Award in 1990.
- Beevi, who was born in April 1927 in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district, completed her schooling at the Catholicate High School there and then acquired a BSc degree from University College in Thiruvananthapuram.
- Subsequently, she obtained a law degree from Law College in Thiruvananthapuram and enrolled as an advocate in 1950.
- She was, thereafter, appointed as Munsiff in the Kerala Subordinate Judicial Services in 1958, promoted to Subordinate Judge in 1968, and became Chief Judicial Magistrate in 1972.
- Justice Beevi went on to become a District and Sessions Judge in 1974
- Justice Beevi was appointed as the Judicial Member of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal in 1980.
- She was elevated to the Kerala High Court in 1983 and became a permanent judge there the very next year.
