Prelim - Personality

Early Life and Education

• Born in 1905 in Travancore, Kerala, Anna Chandy was a trailblazer for women’s rights. She pursued higher education at a time when it was rare for women to step into professional fields. Encouraged by reforms under Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, she enrolled in law and earned her postgraduate degree with distinction in 1926, becoming one of the first women in India to qualify as a lawyer.

Career in Law

• Anna Chandy broke barriers in the legal profession. In 1949, she became a district judge, and in 1959, she created history as the first female judge of the Kerala High Court—making her the first woman judge in India.

Champion of Women’s Rights

• Beyond her legal career, Chandy was deeply invested in social reform. In 1930, she founded and edited the magazine Shrimati, which not only covered health and home management but also strongly advocated for women’s freedom, widow remarriage, equal pay, and fair treatment of women workers. She was also active in organisations like the All India Women’s Congress.

Later Years and Legacy

• After retiring from the judiciary, Chandy served with the Law Commission of India and authored her autobiography, Aatmakatha. She passed away in 1996, leaving behind a legacy as a fearless reformer and India’s first woman judge.