D. Sreedevi

D. Sreedevi was an Indian lawyer, court justice and social activist in Kerala (28 April 1939 – 5 March 2018). She was the Chairperson of Kerala State Women's Commission twice.

Early life and education

D Sreedevi was born in 1939 at Chirayankeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala as the daughter of Damodaran and Janaki Amma, both were teachers. She did her pre-graduation in NSS College, Thiruvananthapuram and graduation in Sree Narayana College, Kollam. She obtained her B.L. from Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram.

Career

Sreedevi was enrolled as Advocate and began her practice in Thiruvananthapuram in 1962. She began her career in the lower judiciary in Kerala. In 1971 she was appointed as the Munsiff at Kottarakkara in the Kerala Sub-ordinate Judicial Services. She promoted as District & Sessions Judge in 1984. She was then elevated to the High Court of Kerala as a Judge on 14 January 1997.  She retired as the Judge of the High Court on 28 April 2001.

Chairperson of Kerala Women's Commission

She later went on to become the Chairperson of  Kerala Women's Commission on 21 March 2001 and continued till 12 May 2002 with T. Devi, Adv. Nafeesath Beevi, Adv. K. Santhakumari, Smt. P. K. Sainaba, Prof. P. Gowri and Prof. Monamma Kokkad as the members of the commission. She once again become the Cheirperson of the commission for a term of 5 year from 2 March 2007 to 1 March 2012 with T. Devi, P.K.Sainaba, Rugmini Bhaskaran, Prof. Meenakshi Thampan (02-03-2007 to 15-07-2011) and Adv. Noorbeena Rasheed (16-08-2011 to 01-03-2012) as members.

According to the present Women's commission chairperson M. C. Josephine, Justice Sreedevi's legal expertise was instrumental in ensuring justice to women in distress and her efforts are a model for others in women empowerment(Times of India, March 5, 2018).

Family
Sreedevi married to U Balaji, who was a well known advocate. Her son Basant Balaji is also an advocate and served as Government Pleader.

Autobiography

Sreedevi's autobiography is titled ‘Aajanma Niyogam’ means  a lifelong mission.

Awards

 The Akkamma Cheriyan Award for the best social worker (2009). 
 The Guruvandanam award instituted by Asan Institute. 
 The P N Panickar Family Welfare Award

Death
Sreedevi died suddenly on 5 March 2018 from liver failure. She was 78. She was under treatment for liver disease on her last days

References 

Category:Scholars from Thiruvananthapuram
Category:1939 births
Category:2018 deaths
Category:Indian women judges
Category:Indian women activists
Category:Women in Kerala politics
Category:Activists from Kerala
Category:20th-century Indian judges
Category:20th-century Indian lawyers
Category:Indian women lawyers
Category:Women educators from Kerala
Category:Educators from Kerala