Justice Leila Seth, 1st woman CJ of HC dies; donates organs, PM condoles demise

Leila Seth died the way she lived — in the service of people. The first woman chief justice of a high court in India and author Vikram Seth’s mother, donated her organs before her death, her family said.
Seth was 86.

“She died of a cardiac seizure last night, at 10:28 PM. My brother Vikram, sister and our other family members are here,” her younger son Shantum Seth told PTI. Her family said there would be no funeral as she had pledged to donate her organs. “My mother has donated her eyes and other organs for transplant or medical research purposes. So we will not have a funeral,” Shantum said. On May 28, there would be a prayer meeting in her honour, he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled her death, tweeting that her “remarkable contribution” to the field of law would be remembered. Vice President Hamid Ansari said she “blazed a trail for women”. The eminent jurist, much admired in the field of law and in other professions, championed sharper legislation for women. Seth was one of the three members of the Justice Verma Committee which was constituted after the December 16 2012 gangrape in Delhi for recommending legal amendments for quicker …read more