New Delhi

Fathima Beevi, the first woman judge of the Supreme Court of India and former Governor of Tamil Nadu, passed away at a private hospital in Kollam, Kerala.

She was 96.

Born in the Pathanamthitta district, Beevi pursued her early education at St. Joseph's Convent School. She earned a BSc chemistry degree from the University of Kerala and went to study law at the Government Law College, Ernakulam.

She became the first woman in Kerala to earn a law degree and began her career as a lawyer in 1950. She then went on to work as a Chief Judicial Magistrate and Judicial Member of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal before being appointed as a judge of the Kerala High Court in 1983.

In 1989, Beevi made history when she was appointed as the first female judge of the Supreme Court of India.

She was also the first Muslim woman to be appointed to any of the higher judiciaries in the country.

She retired from the apex court in 1992. In 1997, Beevi was appointed as the Governor of Tamil Nadu, becoming the first Muslim woman to hold the post.

She served in the position till 2001. She also served as the Chairman of the Kerala Commission for Backward Classes and was a member of the National Human Rights Commission. Her name was considered for many high-level positions, including President of India.

In addition to her legal and political career, Fathima Beevi was also a social activist and philanthropist. She was actively involved in various women's organizations and worked towards the empowerment of women. In recognition of her contributions, Beevi received numerous awards and honours, including an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree and the Mahila Shiromani Award.

She was also the recipient of the Bharat Jyoti Award. A documentary titled Neethipathayile Dheera Vanitha (A Brave Woman on the Path of Justice) based on her life journey was released in 2023.