Anna Chandy
Encyclopedia
Justice Anna Chandy was the first woman Judge of India
. She became the first woman judge in India
in a district court in 1937 . She was the first woman in India
, and probably the second in the world to reach a high court judgeship (1959) .
state , now in Kerala
state of India
. She was admitted to the bar in 1928 and was appointed as a district judge (musif) in Travancore
by Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer , the then Dewan
of Travancore
.
She was the Judge of Kerala High Court
from 9 February 1959 to April 5, 1967 . This raised the career hopes of women in the legal field in India. It had also helped herald a gender-neutral system of justice as quoted by Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court V.K. Bali . The High Court of Kerala
is the highest court of justice in the Indian state of Kerala
and in the Union Territory
of Lakshadweep
. The High Court of Kerala
is headquartered at Kochi
. Another woman judge from Kerala High Court
, Kumari Justice M. Fathima Beevi
became the first woman judge in Supreme Court of India
..
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. She became the first woman judge in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in a district court in 1937 . She was the first woman in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and probably the second in the world to reach a high court judgeship (1959) .
Early life
She was born on May 4, 1905 in erstwhile TravancoreTravancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
state , now in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
state of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. She was admitted to the bar in 1928 and was appointed as a district judge (musif) in Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
by Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer , the then Dewan
Dewan
The originally Persian title of dewan has, at various points in Islamic history, designated various differing though similar functions.-Etymology:...
of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
.
High Court Judge
Kerala High Court
High Court of Kerala is the highest court in the Indian state of Kerala and in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. The High Court of Kerala is headquartered at Kochi...
from 9 February 1959 to April 5, 1967 . This raised the career hopes of women in the legal field in India. It had also helped herald a gender-neutral system of justice as quoted by Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court V.K. Bali . The High Court of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
is the highest court of justice in the Indian state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
and in the Union Territory
Union Territory
A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...
of Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep , formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands, is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea, 200 to 440 km off the coast of the South West Indian state of Kerala...
. The High Court of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
is headquartered at Kochi
Kochi (India)
Kochi , formerly Cochin, is a major port city on the west coast of India by the Arabian Sea. Kochi is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. Kochi is often called by the name Ernakulam, which refers to the western part of the mainland Kochi...
. Another woman judge from Kerala High Court
Kerala High Court
High Court of Kerala is the highest court in the Indian state of Kerala and in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. The High Court of Kerala is headquartered at Kochi...
, Kumari Justice M. Fathima Beevi
Fatima Beevi
Justice M. Fathima Beevi was the first woman judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court of India and the first Muslim woman to be appointed to any higher judiciary. She is the first woman judge of a Supreme Court of a nation in India and Asia...
became the first woman judge in Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
..