Meenakshi Madan Rai Age, Family, Biography

Quick Info→

Hometown: Gangtok, Sikkim

Age: 61 Years

Marital Status: Married

Bio/Wiki
Profession	High Court Judge
Physical Stats
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
Judge
Major Designation(s)	Judge of Sikkim High Court • 15 April 2015 Acting Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court • 15 December 2025-3 January 2026 • 1 September 2021-11 October 2021 • 17 September 2019-14 October 2019 • 1 July 2018-29 October 2018
Personal Life
Date of Birth	12 July 1964 (Sunday)
Age (as of 2025)	61 Years
Birthplace	Gangtok, Sikkim, India
Zodiac sign	Cancer
Nationality	Indian
Hometown	Gangtok, Sikkim
School(s)	• Tathangchen School, Gangtok • Dowhill School, Kurseong • Tashi Namgyal Academy, Sikkim, India
College/University	• Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi • Campus Law Centre, Delhi University
Educational Qualification(s)	• Graduation in Political Science (Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi (1986) • LLB from Campus Law Centre, Delhi University (1989)
Religion	Hinduism
Address	"NAHUM KHIM", M.M. Rasaily Road, Sichey, Gangtok, Sikkim (Pin. 737101)
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Married
Family
Husband/Spouse	Roger R. Rai (former Managing Director of Sikkim Industrial Development Corporation)
Parents	Father- Madan Mohan Rasaily (Former Home Secretary to Government of Sikkim) Mother- Rabi Mala Rasaily (Former school teacher)
Money Factor
Salary (approx.)	Rs. 2,25,000 per month

Some Lesser Known Facts About Meenakshi Madan Rai

In 1983, she completed her senior secondary education from Tashi Namgyal Academy in Sikkim.

During her graduation in Political Science (Honours) from Lady Shriram College, Delhi University, Meenakshi Madan Rai received a Merit Scholarship from the Government of Sikkim.

After completing her LLB at Campus Law Centre, Delhi University, she was enrolled in the Bar Association of Delhi in 1990.

After that, Meenakshi Madan Rai started practicing law as an Advocate on Record at the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India.

On 11 December 1990, she was appointed as a first class Judicial Magistrate and Civil Judge of East District at Gangtok, Sikkim.

Meenakshi Madan Rai then became the first woman from Sikkim to be appointed as a Judicial Magistrate and Civil Judge in the Sikkim Judicial Service cadre.

On 20 April 2000. she was promoted to the position of Chief Judicial Magistrate and Civil Judge of East and North Districts of Gangtok, Sikkim. She served in the position till 1 August 2004.

On 2 August 2004, Meenakshi Madan Rai was designated as the District and Sessions Judge (Special Division-II) in Gangtok under the Sikkim Superior Judicial Service.

On 26 October 2006, Meenakshi Madan Rai was promoted to the position of Registrar General at the Sikkim High Court.
Meenakshi Madan Rai during her service at the Sikkim High Court

From 2004 to 2006, she also served in other additional positions, including as the District and Sessions Judge (Special Division-I), Judge of the Family Court of Sikkim, Secretary of the High Court Legal Services Committee, Member Secretary of the Sikkim State Legal Services Authority, and Central Project Coordinator (e-Committee).

On 27 October 2008, Meenakshi Madan Rai was appointed as a District and Sessions Judge of East and North Sikkim in Gangtok. She served in the position till 14 April 2009.

During this period, she served as a District and Sessions Judge (Special Division-I) in Gangtok.

She has led various legal awareness and outreach programs in Sikkim.
Meenakshi Madan Rai during a legal awareness and outreach program

Meenakshi Madan Rai has held various projects under Special Acts, such as Special Judge under the NDPS Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, Single Member MACT, Judge of the Family Court, Special Judge under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, President of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Member Secretary of the Sikkim State Legal Services Authority, and Secretary of the High Court Legal Services Committee.

On 15 April 2009, she was appointed as a Registrar General of the Sikkim High Court.

In January 2005, Meenakshi Madan Rai was appointed as a Member Secretary of the Sikkim State Legal Services Authority. She served in the position till January 2010.
Meenakshi Madan Rai during an event

On 28 March 2007, she was appointed as a Secretary of the High Court Legal Services Committee. She served in the position till 27 March 2009.

On 30 June 2010, she was appointed as a District and Sessions Judge of South and West Sikkim in Namchi. She served in the position till 15 July 2012.

During this period, Meenakshi Madan Rai worked on other projects, which were provided to her under Special Acts.

On 16 July 2012, she started working as a District and Sessions Judge of East and North Districts of Sikkim in Gangtok.

During this period, she continued working on her additional charges, which were allotted to her before.

On 29 July 2013, she was appointed as a Principal District and Sessions judge of East District in Sikkim in Gangtok.

On 15 April 2015, Meenakshi Madan Rai was promoted to the position of Judge of the High Court of Sikkim.

She then became the fist woman in Sikkim to hold the position of High Court Judge.

On 11 December 2015, she was appointed as an Executive Chairperson of the Sikkim State Legal Services Authority.

After that, in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2025, Meenakshi Madan Rai served as an Acting Chief Justice in the Sikkim High Court.
President Droupadi Murmu appointed Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai to act as Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court in 2025

Reportedly, near the end of her judicial career, chances of making her permanent chief justice were stopped by a controversy caused by administrative orders she issued as acting chief justice that criticized her predecessor, Biswanath Somadder.

In May 2026, Meenakshi Madan Rai she made headlines when she was appointed as the 48th Chief Justice of the Patna High Court by the Supreme Court Collegium.

She has been invited as a guest speaker at various organisational events.
Meenakshi Madan Rai while delivering a speech