M. Fathima Beevi (30 April 1927 – 23 November 2023) was a Indian judge who made history as a justice of the Supreme Court of India. She was appointed to the highest court in 1989, becoming not only the first female judge in the Supreme Court but also the first Muslim woman to hold a position in any of the country’s higher judiciary. After retiring from the court, she continued to make an impact as a member of the National Human Rights Commission and later served as the Governor of Tamil Nadu from 1997 to 2001. In 2023, she received the Kerala Prabha Award, the second-highest honor from the Government of Kerala. Her legacy was further recognized in 2024 when she was posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan.
Beevi became permanent Judge of the High Court on 14 May 1984. She retired as the Judge of the High Court on 29 April 1989 but was further elevated to the Supreme Court as a Judge on 6 October 1989 where she retired on 29 April 1992.