Regina Guha
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Regina Guha | |
|---|---|
 Guha c. 1913 | |
| Died | 10 August 1919 |
| Education | University of Calcutta, LLB, 1916 |
| Relatives | Hannah Sen (sister) |
Regina Guha (died 10 August 1919) was an Indian lawyer and teacher. In 1916, Guha fought a notable case challenging the interpretation of legal provisions that effectively prohibited women from practicing law in India.[1]
Regina Guha was born to Abhijit Guha, a Bengali lawyer, and a Baghdadi Jewish mother.[1] Guha's father converted from Hinduism to Judaism.[1] One of four sisters[2][3], Guha was the sister of the educator, politician, and feminist Hannah Sen.[1][4]
Regina completed her Master of Arts in 1913, earning a first class degree, and standing first in her class.[4][5] In 1916, Guha graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Calcutta.[6]
Career
In 1916, Guha applied to be enrolled as a pleader (lawyer) in the Alipore District Judge's court, but her application was rejected on the grounds that women were not permitted to enrol. Regina challenged this decision at the Calcutta High Court, arguing that the governing legislation, the Legal Practitioners Act, allowed qualified "persons" to enroll as lawyers, and that the definition of 'person' included women. She was represented by Eardley Norton, a lawyer and member of the Indian National Congress.[1][4][7] In 1916, a bench of five male judges of the Calcutta High Court ruled, in the case of In Re Regina Guha, that although the governing law, the Legal Practitioners Act 1879, used the term 'person' in regard to enrolment, this term did not include women.[8][9] They accordingly denied her the right to enroll as a lawyer.[10]
Guha went on to become the headmistress of the Jewish Girls' School in Kolkata, and was the first Jewish principal of the school.[4][3] Guha was a post-graduate tutor in English at the University of Calcutta.[2]
Legacy
In 1919, Guha's siblings established an endowment at University of Calcutta in her memory.[1][4] The "Regina Guha Medal" is given to the student who stood first in the M.A. English examination each year.[1][4][2]
In 1921, Sudhanshubala Hazra unsuccessful challenged the prohibition against women practitioners in the Patna High Court.[7] In 1923, the enactment of the Legal Practitioners (Women) Act eventually removed this restriction, allowing women to enroll and practice law.[1]