K. K. Usha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
K. K. Usha
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Usha in May 2020
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| Chief Justice of Kerala High Court | |
| In office 2000–2001 |
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| Appointed by | K. R. Narayanan |
| Preceded by | Arvind Vinayakarao Savant |
| Succeeded by | B. N. Srikrishna |
| Judge of Kerala High Court | |
| In office 1991–2000 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 July 1939 Thrissur, Kerala, India |
| Died | 5 October 2020 (aged 81) |
| Spouse | K. Sukumaran |
| Children | 2 |
| Signature |  |
K. K. Usha (born July 3, 1939 – died October 5, 2020) was an important Indian judge. She became the top judge, known as the Chief Justice, of the Kerala High Court. This was a big deal because she was the first woman to hold this high position in that court.
Usha was a strong supporter of women's rights. She worked hard to end unfair treatment against women. After her time as Chief Justice, she also led a special court that dealt with tax issues.
Her Journey as a Judge
K. K. Usha was born on July 3, 1939. She started her career as a lawyer in 1961. In 1979, she became a Government Pleader in the Kerala High Court. This meant she represented the government in legal cases.
She then became a judge in the High Court in 1991. Later, from 2000 to 2001, she served as the Chief Justice. She was the first woman to become a High Court judge directly from being a lawyer. She was also the first woman to become a Chief Justice in that court. After she retired from the High Court in 2001, she led the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal in Delhi until 2004. This tribunal is like a special court for tax-related disputes.
Working for Change
Beyond her work in court, Usha was very active in helping others.
- In 1975, she went to Germany to represent India at a big meeting for women lawyers.
- She also represented India at a United Nations seminar. This meeting was about ending all forms of unfair treatment against women.
- She was a member and later the President of the University Women's Association.
- Usha was also involved with "Sree Narayana Sevika Samajam". This is an organization that runs an orphanage and a home for women who need help in Trivandrum.
Usha also led investigations into important social issues.
- From 2005 to 2006, she headed an investigation into community issues in Orissa. This was done by the Indian People's Tribunal (IPT).
- In 2011, Usha was part of another IPT group. This group looked into human rights problems in Manipur. They heard many stories about serious human rights violations. The group suggested that a special law, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, should be removed from the state.
Personal Life
K. K. Usha was married to K. Sukumaran, who was also a lawyer and a judge. They were the first married couple in India where both partners were judges. They had two daughters. Usha passed away on October 5, 2020, at the age of 81. She had surgery the week before and then had a heart problem.
