Hailing from a small town, Riddhima Sharma worked really hard to create her identity and today she is serving as a judge in the Judiciary of the country and is also an inspiration to many women.

Riddhima Sharma is working as an Additional District and Session Judge and the Secretary at the District Legal Services Authority, Udaipur.

Riddhima was born in a small town in Bikaner. Being born as a second girl child in a conservative family, she was not much welcomed by the family. But her parents gave her a good upbringing and raised her well. She studied at Sophia School in Bikaner till 10th-grade. Then she studied at Modi School, Laxmangarh in Sikar. Thereafter she did her college education in Jaipur.

She did her LLB from Rajasthan University, Jaipur. After completing her LLB, she wanted to prepare for administrative services examinations. But when she got to know about the judicial services examination, she prepared for it and was able to pass it on her first attempt.

In 2008, she joined the judicial services. In her thirteen years of service, she has been posted at different places. She loves her job and is dedicated to it. But she says that sometimes being at the court and doing the same things repetitively brings in monotony.

Riddhima says that during the Covid pandemic all courts would open piecemeal. But her office functioned 24*7 and she had to work more than normal days. She arranged for food packets and other necessities for the migrant laborers. Besides, she also helped the needy in collaboration with the CMHO office in the city. She also says that during the pandemic imposed lockdowns more cases of domestic violence on women were reported. And in light of that, she started a helpline number to help such women. But on the positive side, she got to spend time with her family. She picked up cooking and played games with her family.

Riddhima shares that there aren’t many female judges serving in the judiciary system of the country as the job entails frequent transfers. But of late there has been a paradigm shift and now more women are joining the judicial services.

She shares that now women are educated and know their rights and laws made for them. And therefore they don’t hold themselves from raising a voice against domestic violence on them and owing to that more cases of domestic violence are reported in the courts.

To aspiring law students, she advises that now there are five-year law programs available at the UG level and they can opt for them. And once they choose to study it, they should study it conscientiously. Besides, they should also practice with a law firm as an intern during their final year of the degree course. Furthermore, she highlights the need to make the law programs in the country more practical and hands-on. She also adds that it’s not required to know about each and every law. They just ought to come to the court and explore whether it’s the criminal or civil matters that interest them and pursue them accordingly. And they should also know how to orate, deck up and project themselves in the court.

Her father-in-law who is a retired high court judge is her role model. He always guided her on how to carry herself on both the personal and professional fronts of life.

She shares that in 2019, during her tenure at the office, the Udaipur District Legal Services Authority was adjudged as the best legal service authority in the country and she considers it as her achievement as her hard work paid off.

Riddhima shares that being a female judge entails compromising on family time and she is at times not able to spend time with her son which makes her feel guilty but she derives satisfaction from her job.

If she could go back in time then she would want to relive her school days as they were the carefree and joyous days of her life as she says.

In her spare time, she likes to do gardening and cooking. She also likes to travel and spend time with her husband.

Riddhima advises that nothing is impossible. Just give your best to whatever you do in life and you make things happen for you.