M Fathima Beevi, India's first female judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court, passed away on Thursday, 23 November, at the age of 96.
A pioneer in her field, Justice Beevi became the first Muslim woman to be appointed to any higher judiciary in 1989 when she joined the Supreme Court.
After retiring from the apex court in 1992, she served in the National Human Rights Commission. She was also Tamil Nadu's governor from 1997-2001.
Born in Kerala's Pathanamthitta on 30 April 1927, Justice Beevi was the first woman to be awarded a Bar Council gold medal in 1950 after she topped the exam.
She rose through the ranks from being an advocate in Kerala's lower judiciary to being a Judicial Magistrate in the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal to finally her appointment as a Chief Justice in the apex court.
'Led A Glorious Life, Opened Doors For Women'
Following her demise, many people took to X (formerly Twitter) to mourn her passing.
Netizens lauded her legacy. X user Vandeep Nath wrote, "Salutations to Justice M Fathima Beevi, a pioneer in her own right who opened a closed door for women in the judiciary."
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