Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 23: India's pioneering female Supreme Court justice, Fathima Beevi, passed away at the age of 96 in a private hospital in Kollam on Thursday. She had been hospitalized for a while.

Residing in her home in Pathanamthitta post-retirement, Beevi achieved several historic milestones. As the first woman judge of the Supreme Court, she also held the distinction of being the inaugural Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission and the first Muslim female Governor of Tamil Nadu.

Enrolling as an advocate in 1950, Beevi embarked on her legal career in the lower judiciary in Kerala. She began as a Munsiff in the Kerala Subordinate Judicial Services in May 1958, progressing to Subordinate Judge in 1968, Chief Judicial Magistrate in 1972, and District and Sessions Judge in 1974.

In January 1980, Beevi was appointed the Judicial Member of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, followed by elevation to the High Court as a Judge on August 4, 1983. She became a permanent Judge of the High Court on May 14, 1984, retiring on April 29, 1989. Subsequently, she was elevated to the Supreme Court as a Judge on October 6, 1989, where she served until her retirement on April 29, 1992.

Beyond her judicial career, Beevi assumed the role of Governor of Tamil Nadu on January 25, 1997, resigning in 2001 following a decision by the Union Government to recall her.