A 30-minute documentary on the country's first female judge of the Supreme Court, Fathima Beevi, was released on Wednesday, March 8, in Thiruvananthapuram. Titled Neethipathayile Dheera Vanitha (A brave woman on the path of justice), the Malayalam documentary was officially released by state Minister for Film and Culture Saji Cherian to coincide with International Women's Day.
Directed by senior journalist Priya Raveendran, the film has been scripted by R Parvathy Devi, with creative contribution coming from Suja Susan George. Dancer Rajasree Warrier is the narrator. The film has been produced by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC).
Speaking to IANS, Priya said that she was enamoured by the achievements of Fathima Beevi for a long time, right from the time she entered journalism. "Now I feel elated and happy that I have finally done it with the support of Parvathy and Suja. Beevi achieved all this, probably a first by any lady in the country to have sat in several crucial positions. None should forget that Fathima Beevi achieved all this at a time when women of her times were mostly relegated to their homes," said Priya.
The now 95-year-old Fathima Beevi, living a retired life at her home in Pathanamthitta, has a number of firsts in her life which include: the first female judge of the apex court, the first chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, the first Muslim woman Governor (Tamil Nadu).
Fathima Beevi enrolled herself as an advocate in 1950 and began her career in the lower judiciary in Kerala. She was appointed the munsiff in the Kerala Subordinate Judicial Services in May 1958. Later she was promoted as the subordinate judge in 1968 and as the Chief Judicial Magistrate in 1972. In 1974, she became District & Sessions Judge. She was further appointed Judicial Member of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal in January 1980. Fathima Beevi was elevated to the High Court as a judge on August 4, 1983. She became a permanent Judge of the High Court on May 14, 1984.
Fathima retired as the judge of the High Court on April 29, 1989, but was further elevated to the Supreme Court as a judge on October 6, 1989 where she retired on April 29, 1992. She later went on to become the Governor of Tamil Nadu on January 25, 1997 and quit in 2001 following a decision of the union government recommending the President to recall her.