Meet Thanya Nathan, Kerala’s First Civil Judge With Visual Impairment

Kerala’s judiciary has marked a historic first with a woman with visual impairment qualifying for the Kerala Judicial Service and preparing to assume office as a Civil Judge (Junior Division). Thanya Nathan C, a native of Kannur, topped the merit list under the benchmark disabilities category in the Kerala Judicial Service Examination 2025. 

From advocate to the Bench

Thanya enrolled as an advocate in August 2024 and has since been practising in Kannur under Adv. Sumar Kumar K. for the past one and a half years. She began preparing for the judicial service examination only after the official notification was issued.

Thanya prepared independently without coaching and relied on self-study for both the preliminary and main examinations.

For the interview stage, she sought guidance from Adv. Santhosh in Thiruvananthapuram. Throughout her preparation, she continued her regular court practice and remained actively engaged in litigation.

Navigating practical challenges

As a lawyer with a disability, Thanya had to adapt to certain practical limitations in court. Particularly, restrictions on the use of electronic devices and the incomplete implementation of paperless systems. She prepared her case notes in Braille to present arguments effectively.

During her practice, she also observed encouraging developments from the judiciary, including the adoption of voice-to-text recording of evidence.

Towards a more inclusive judiciary

In a landmark March 2025 judgment, the Supreme Court of India ruled that candidates cannot be denied consideration for judicial service solely because of physical disabilities, calling such exclusion unconstitutional.

The apex court made it clear that reasonable accommodation is a right, not a favour. And that disabilities, including visual impairment, must not stand in the way of judicial appointments.

Thanya’s selection reflects a concrete step towards a more inclusive judiciary in Kerala. Reinforcing the idea that the justice system must be open to everyone.