SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The first woman of Indian descent has been sworn in to serve as a judge in Hampden Superior Court, marking an important milestone for the Commonwealth. Family, friends, and colleagues gathered to support Judge Deepika Shukla in her induction into the Massachusetts Superior Court. Shukla addressed the courtroom from the bench, thanking everyone in attendance and sharing more about her Indian-American identity, from growing up in a multi-generational household with her immigrant mother and grandparents. Colleague and friend Kevin O'Regan took to the stand to share how proud of Shukla he is, and what he knows she'll accomplish. Pittsfield police capture murder suspect from Maine "I think she's going to treat everyone that comes before her with respect, ad compassion, and dignity," said O'Regan. "And I think that the lawyers will find her an excellent judge to be in front of." Governor Healey named Shukla as one of her picks to join the Massachusetts Superior Court back in July, and Friday marked her official swearing-in. Tara Jacobs of the Governor's Council, representing Western Massachusetts, told 22News this appointment is another in what has been a string of diverse nominees coming from Governor Healey. "We really appreciate the work she's done to bring us diversity in all the ways, but also, human beings who are just really amazingly kind, and smart, and empathetic, and compassionate," remarked Jacobs. Judge Shukla comes to Hampden District Court from the United States Federal Court in Springfield, where she served as Assistant United States Attorney. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Western New England School of Law, earning a Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Local News Headlines Square One receives grant to help rebuild center ravaged by 2011 tornado State Line Propane and Oil opens a show room in Westfield Red Cross of Mass. sending volunteers after Hurricane Helene How much rainfall in September 2024 WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.