1 week ago
11
ARTICLE AD BOX
2 min readThiruvananthapuramFeb 12, 2026 11:00 AM IST
A native of Mangad in Kannur, Thanya topped the rank list in the persons with disabilities category for civil judges (junior division) in the Kerala Judicial Service. The list was published by the High Court last week.
As technology flung open new doors to overcome disabilities, C Thanya Nathan’s dreams took wing. Last week, the 24-year-old lawyer was selected to become Kerala’s first visually-impaired judicial officer — 11 months after the Supreme Court ruled that persons with benchmark disabilities cannot be barred from judicial service on the ground of disability.
A native of Mangad in Kannur, Thanya topped the rank list in the persons with disabilities category for civil judges (junior division) in the Kerala Judicial Service. The list was published by the High Court last week.
This milestone followed a Supreme Court ruling in March last year, which, while hearing a petition challenging a Madhya Pradesh service rule, held that persons with disabilities — including the visually impaired — cannot be excluded from judicial services. For Thanya, who has been practising at the Taliparamba court complex in Kannur for 1.5 years, the ruling gave her the impetus to pursue her dream.
“My appointment is in process. There will be a one-year training at the Kerala Judicial Academy before being appointed as a magistrate/munsiff,” Thanya tells The Indian Express.
She believes her disability will no longer be a hindrance in her role as a judicial officer— thanks to technology. One such tool is text-to-speech software.
“During my days as a law student, I had to convert study materials into braille. It had been an uphill task. But when I wanted to prepare for the judicial services examination, text-to-speech technology came to my aid. This helped me access several online study materials and documents,” she says.
A student at a special school from Classes 1 to 7, Thanya later shifted to a regular school, where her lessons were converted into Braille.
Story continues below this ad
When she began practising law, her mother, Babitha, a homemaker, would accompany her by bus to court and bring her back home. Her father and elder sister work in the Middle East.
“Initially, I only dreamed of becoming a lawyer. But my family and senior advocate K G Sunil Kumar encouraged me to apply for the post of civil judge when recruitment was notified last year. The bar and bench at Taliparamba have always supported me,” she says.
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
English (US) ·