Anna Chandy: India’s First Woman Judge Who Transformed Courts

In the 1930s, when Indian courtrooms echoed with the voices of male lawyers in starched coats, a young woman from Travancore walked in with a stack of briefs and an unshakable composure. Her name was Anna Chandy — the woman who quietly forced the judicial system to rethink itself.

At a time when the profession was almost entirely male, many wondered why a woman would choose law. Some whispered objections, others voiced them openly. But Chandy took her seat, arranged her files, and with every argument she made, she chipped away at stereotypes.

The Moment That Announced Her Resolve

During her early days as a lawyer, Chandy often encountered open hostility. In one hearing, a senior lawyer bluntly questioned why women should enter the profession at all — a remark aimed directly at her.

Chandy did not flinch.
She stood, addressed the bench with measured clarity, and delivered her arguments so sharply that the courtroom fell silent.

The incident spread across Travancore not because of the remark, but because of the young lawyer who refused to be unsettled by it. Her calm strength became her signature.

Who Was Anna Chandy?

Born in 1905 in Travancore (present-day Kerala), Anna Chandy was raised with a courage unusual for the time. When society expected women to stay indoors, she chose the law, graduating at a time when very few women dared to attempt it.

Milestones That Changed Indian Judiciary

• 1937 — Became India’s first woman judicial officer (appointed as munsiff).

• 1948 — Promoted to District Judge.

• 1959 — Became India’s first woman High Court judge (Travancore-Cochin High Court).

• 1967 — Retired after a groundbreaking judicial career spanning three decades.

Why Anna Chandy’s Legacy Still Speaks Today

Her journey was not merely personal triumph — it was a transformation of the system itself. By stepping into a courtroom that was not designed for women, she forced it to evolve.

Her rise proved that justice, intellect and fairness belong to no particular gender. Today, thousands of women who enter law schools, courtrooms and public institutions walk through doors that Anna Chandy opened nearly a century ago.