In its 75-year history, the Supreme Court of India has seen only 11 female judges. On average, a female judge has served a tenure of 3.87 years.

The 11 women judges of the apex court have collectively authored 1022 judgments.

As Women's Day 2025 is here, here’s a look at their contributions and impact on the judiciary.

1. Justice Fathima Beevi: Justice Fathima Beevi, a former judge of the Kerala High Court, made history as the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of India. She was appointed on October 6, 1989, and served for over 2.5 years until April 29, 1992. During her tenure, she authored 49 judgments, paving the way for greater representation of women in the judiciary..
2. Justice Sujata Manohar: Justice Sujata Manohar, who earlier served as the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, became the second woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court. She joined the Top Court on November 8, 1994, and served for over 4 years and 8 months until August 27, 1999. During her tenure, she authored 217 judgments—the second-highest by any female judge in the Supreme Court’s history.

3. Justice Ruma Pal: Justice Ruma Pal, a former judge of the Calcutta High Court, was appointed to the Supreme Court on January 28, 2000, and served until June 2, 2006. She holds the record for being the longest-serving female judge in the history of the Supreme Court of India. During her tenure, she authored 152 judgments, contributing significantly to the legal landscape.

4. Justice Gyan Sudha Misra: Justice Gyan Sudha Misra, formerly the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court, was appointed to the Supreme Court on April 30, 2010, and served until April 27, 2014. During her tenure, she authored 41 judgments and played a key role in several landmark rulings, including those on conflict of interest in the Srinivasan-BCCI case and the Delhi Uphaar fire tragedy.

5. Justice Ranjana Desai: Justice Ranjana Desai, a former judge of the Bombay High Court, was appointed to the Supreme Court on September 13, 2011, and served until October 29, 2014. During her tenure, she authored 76 judgments. In 2021, she was appointed as the Chairperson of the Delimitation Commission for Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Jammu & Kashmir.

6. Justice R. Banumathi:Justice R. Banumathi, who previously served as the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court, was appointed to the Supreme Court on August 13, 2014. She served until July 19, 2020, making her the second longest-serving female judge in the apex court’s history. During her tenure, she authored 386 judgments—the highest by any female judge of the Supreme Court.

7. Justice Indu Malhotra: Justice Indu Malhotra was appointed to the Supreme Court on April 27, 2018, and served until March 13, 2021. Before her appointment, she was a member of the High-Level Committee of the Ministry of Law and Justice. Notably, she became the first woman to be elevated directly from the Bar to the Supreme Court. During her tenure, she authored 70 judgments.

8. Justice Indira Banerjee: Justice Indira Banerjee, former Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, was appointed to the Supreme Court on August 7, 2018. She served until September 23, 2022, upon completing her tenure. During her time on the bench, she authored 31 judgments.

9. Justice Hima Kohli: Justice Hima Kohli, former Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court, was appointed to the Supreme Court on August 31, 2021, and served until September 1, 2024. During her tenure, she authored 40 judgments, contributing significantly to the judiciary.

10. Justice Bela Trivedi: Justice Bela Trivedi, a former judge of the Gujarat High Court, was appointed to the Supreme Court on August 31, 2021, alongside Justice Hima Kohli. She is one of the two female judges currently serving in the apex court. Her tenure is set to continue until June 9, 2025.

11. Justice B.V. Nagarathna: Justice Bangalore Venkataramiah Nagarathna was appointed to the Supreme Court on August 31, 2021, and will serve until October 29, 2027. Previously a judge of the Karnataka High Court, she is expected to make history as India's first woman Chief Justice in 2027.