New Delhi, Jan. 29: Justice M Fathima Beevi, the first woman judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court of India, has been awarded Padma Bhushan posthumously. Justice Fatima Bibi died on 23 November, 2023 following prolonged illness.
Fathima Beevi became the first female judge of the Supreme Court of India and the first Muslim woman to be appointed to any of the higher judiciaries in the country. After her retirement, she served as member of National Human Rights Commission and later as Governor of Tamil Nadu from 1997 to 2001. In 2023, she was honoured with Kerala Prabha Award, the second-highest honour given by the Government of Kerala.