When she completed her Masters in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University 50 years ago, Sushila Karki may not have thought she would go on to create a record in Nepal's politics.

The 73-year-old was appointed the 24th Chief Justice of Nepal in July 2016, becoming the first and the only woman yet to occupy the post. She remained in the post for around 11 months.

"She has made a reputation of a bold and fair justice with zero tolerance to corruption," remarked Dinesh Tripathi, senior advocate. "As a bold and determined justice, she has stood strong against corruption."

Karki faced an impeachment motion, considered to be politically biased by several stakeholders, moved by the then Sherbahadur Deuba government, but it was later withdrawn.

Born on June 7, 1952 at Shankerpur-3 in eastern Nepal's Biratnagar, close to the Indian border, she completed her Bachelors from Mahendra Morang campus, Tribhuvan University, Nepal in 1971 before joining BHU in 1975. She returned to Tribhuvan University to earn a degree in law in 1978.

Karki spent 32 years in the judicial profession and became a symbol of progress for women in the field. She started her law practice in Biratnagar in 1979. In between, she also served as an assistant teacher at Mahendra Multiple Campus, Dharan in 1985.

She became a senior advocate in 2007 and was appointed as an ad hoc judge in the Supreme Court in 2009. She became a permanent judge on November 18, 2010.

Karki is the eldest of seven siblings and grew up in a simple farming family in Biratnagar. She is married to Durga Prasad Subedi, an erstwhile popular leader of Nepali Congress. They had met during her days at the BHU.