Mithan Jamshed Lam, Social Reformer and Writer
Social Reformer and Writer

Mithan Jamshed Lam

Born 2 March 1898 · Maharashtra

First Indian woman barrister and lawyer at Bombay High Court.

Mithan Jamshed Lam (1898–1981) was an Indian lawyer, social activist and the Sheriff of Bombay. She was the first Indian woman barrister and the first Indian woman lawyer at the Bombay High Court. She was a member of the All India Women's Conference and served as its president in 1961–62. The Government of India awarded her the third highest civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan, in 1962, for her contributions to society.

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A detail that
surprised us

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In 1919, Mithan Jamshed Lam became the first Indian woman to be called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn, London, at just 21 years old.

The Story

1
🎓 In 1919, Mithan Jamshed Lam became one of the earliest Indian women to qualify as a Barrister-at-Law from Lincoln's Inn, London, breaking new ground in the Bombay High Court's legal history.
2
🏛️ At age 21, in 1919, she and her mother presented evidence before the British Southborough Franchise Committee advocating for Indian women's suffrage, a bold move that brought the issue to the British Parliament's attention.
3📜 By 1936, Lam had played a pivotal role in reforming the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, influencing legal protections for her community’s women through meticulous amendments.
4In 1947, she made history as Bombay's first female Sheriff, a ceremonial yet influential post during a critical year marking India’s independence.

🏅 Awards & Honours

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🔍 One thing most people don't know

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At only 21, Mithan Lam presented evidence to the British Southborough Franchise Committee in 1919 alongside her mother, directly influencing discussions on women's voting rights in India.

📸 Through the Years

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🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Born in Maharashtra to activist family
Mithan Jamshed Lam was born Mithan Ardeshir Tata in Maharashtra to Ardeshir Tata and Herabai Tata, a noted women's rights activist.
1898
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Education
Called to Bar at Lincoln's Inn
She qualified as a Barrister-at-Law from Lincoln's Inn, becoming one of the first Indian women barristers.
1919
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Career
Presented evidence on women's suffrage
Alongside her mother, Mithan gave testimony before the Southborough Franchise Committee in London advocating for female voting rights in India.
1919
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Career
Joined Bombay High Court as lawyer
Returned to India and began legal practice at Bombay High Court, the first woman lawyer in its history.
1923
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Career
Contributed to Parsi Marriage Act reform
Helped amend the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, improving women's legal rights in her community.
1936
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Career
Appointed Sheriff of Bombay
Served as the first woman Sheriff of Bombay during the pivotal year of Indian independence.
1947
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Career
President of All India Women's Conference
Led the AIWC and edited its journal Sthri Dharma, influencing women’s rights activism.
1961
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Award
Received Padma Bhushan award
Honored by the Government of India for her social and legal contributions.
1962
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Death
Passed away
Mithan Jamshed Lam died, leaving behind a legacy in law and women's rights activism.
1981
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🗝️Discoveries

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01 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

She won the Cobden Club Medal at Elphinstone College for securing the highest marks in Economics, an unusual achievement for women at the time.

02 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

Mithan Lam’s legal work helped reform the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act of 1936, an important legal milestone for the Parsi community’s women’s rights.

03 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

She was Bombay’s first female Sheriff in 1947, the year of India’s independence, a role traditionally held by men in a colonial context.

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🌱 What changed because of them

Mithan Lam’s legal expertise contributed directly to the amendment of the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act in 1936, which modernized marital laws within her community. Her leadership in the All India Women's Conference helped steer women's rights activism in early post-independence India, influencing policy debates on marriage, divorce, and inheritance laws. As Bombay's first female Sheriff during the independence year, she symbolized women's expanding roles in public life.

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