I am the only family/civil Circuit Judge who is registered blind in the country. I have not allowed doubts to overwhelm me and have been lucky enough to go beyond the initial ambition of studying law.

I was advised against a legal education and barrister career as it was feared that it would be too difficult for someone who is registered blind without connections in the profession – I did not take that advice. I studied law and became the first in my family to go to university. I became one of very few barristers who were blind and was the only one in the Midlands. After a successful barrister career, I became a full time District Judge in 2017. I have since been promoted to the role of Circuit Judge dealing with family work.

Throughout my legal career I have been involved with education and equality/inclusion work. I remain actively involved with this as President of the Midland Asian Lawyers Association. As a Diversity and Community Relations Judge, I am part of the drive to increase judicial diversity so that the judiciary can reflect the society it serves with all the advantages this brings.

I have won various awards, received the OBE in 2008 and the CBE in 2021. I have been described as a role model but hope that I can inspire anyone with a disability to realise their potential. Therefore, no one should under-estimate what disabled members of society can achieve or contribute.