Muthulakshmi Reddi
|
Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddi
|
|
|
Dr.
Muthulaxmy Reddi
|
|
|
Born
|
|
|
Died
|
July 22, 1968 (aged 81)
|
|
Known for
|
|
Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddi (30 July 1886 Madras) was an
eminent medical practitioner, social reformer and Padma Bhushan awardee in India. She was
the first women legislator in India
Muthulakshmi Reddy, was appointed to
the Madras Legislative Council in 1927. For her, this nomination marked the
beginning of her lifelong effort to "correct the balance" for women
by removing social abuses and working for equality in moral standards. She was
one of the women pioneers who stood for the cause of liberating India from the
British. She was a women activist and a social reformer too. Muthulakshmi had
many firsts to her recognition. She was the first girl student to be admitted
into a Men's College, the first woman House Surgeon in the Government Maternity
and Ophthalmic Hospital, the first woman legislator in British India, the first
Chairperson of the State Social Welfare Advisory Board and the first woman
Deputy President of the Legislative Council and the first Alderwoman of the
Madras Corporation Avvai home -
Early
life
Muthulakshmi Reddi was born in the princely state of Pudukottai of Tamil Nadu. In spite of various constraints faced by girls in India of
her time, she could complete her higher education, and was admitted into
medical profession. In 1907, she joined the Madras Medical
College, where she achieved a brilliant
academic record. With several gold medals and prizes to her credit,
Muthulakshmi graduated in 1912 to become one of the first woman doctors in
India. Soon thereafter, she came under the influence of Annie Besant, and then of Mahatma Gandhi.
Her father was S. Narayanasami of Iyer
community, and the principal of Maharaja's College. Her mother was Chandrammal,
born to the Isai Vellalar community. S. Narayanasami broke with tradition and sent
Muthulakshmi to school. The child's enthusiasm for learning was so great that
Muthulakshmi's teachers decided to instruct her in subjects beyond those
approved by her father. At the onset of puberty she was obliged to leave
school, but tutoring continued at home. Chandrammal wanted to search for a
bridegroom but Muthulakshmi had different aspirations. She expressed a need to
be a different woman from the common lot. She pitied women for their
subordination to men and inwardly rebelled whenever she heard people say that
only boys needed education.
When Muthulakshmi passed the
matriculation exam she applied for admission to Maharaja's College but her
application was not welcomed by the principal at the time or the parents of
other students. Her gender was a factor and so was her background. The
principal thought she might "demoralize" the male students. The
somewhat enlightened Maharaja of Pudukottai ignored these objections, admitted
her to the college, and gave her a scholarship. Her father suggested she become
a school teacher but she had higher aspirations. She entered Madras Medical
College, completed her studies in 1912, and became house surgeon in the
Government Hospital for Women and Children in Chennai. She later married Dr.
Sundara Reddy on the demand that he promised to "always respect me as an
equal and never cross my wishes." In 1914, when she was twenty-eight years
of age, they married in accordance with the 1872 Native Marriage Act.
She is the aunt of famous Tamil
actor Gemini Ganesan and she was quoted as an inspiration by Gemini early in his
life.
Influences
on Muthulakshmi Reddy
During her college years,
Muthulakshmi met Sarojini Naidu and began to attend women's meetings. She found women who
shared her personal concerns and addressed them in terms of women's rights. The
two great personalities who influenced her life were Mahatma Gandhi and Dr.
Annie Besant. They persuaded her to devote herself for the upliftment of women
and children. She worked for women's emancipation at a time when women were
confined in the four walls of their room.
Reform
Works of Muthulakshmi
Muthulakshmi went to England for
higher studies and she gave up her rewarding practice in medicine in response
to a request from the Women's Indian Association (WTA) to enter the Madras
Legislative Council. She was elected unanimously as its Deputy President. She
led the agitation for municipal and legislative franchise for women. She was
concerned about the orphans, especially girls. She arranged for them free
boarding and lodging and started the Avvai Home in Chennai.
Muthulakshmi was the author of
numerous social reforms. Her book `My Experience as a Legislator` records all
her services in the Legislature. She passed a resolution to establish a special
hospital for women and children. The then Government accepted her suggestion
and opened a children's section in the maternity hospital. She recommended
systematic medical inspection of students in all schools and colleges, run by
municipalities as well as other local bodies. Kasturba Hospital at Triplicane
is a monument to her efforts.
Muthulakshmi Reddy was the President
of the All-India Women's Conference. She passed the Bill for the suppression of
brothels and immoral trafficking in women and children. A home for rescued
girls and women were opened through her efforts to provide shelter to women and
girls rescued from brothels. Due to her efforts a hostel for Muslim girls was
opened and scholarships were given for Harijan girls. She recommended to the
Government that the minimum age for marriage be raised to at least 21 for boys
and 16 for girls.
Muthulakshmi also started the Cancer
Relief fund. This has now developed into an all-India institution combining
therapy and research on cancer and attracting patients from all over India. She
became the first Chairperson of the State Social Welfare Board. Her work on the
Hartog Education Committee, which incorporated a study of educational progress in
India, is a great achievement. As a member of the Hartog Committee she
travelled extensively and studied the progress of women's education throughout
the country. She was the only woman member of the committee and brought about
many improvements. She was also the editor of Roshini, an important journal of
AIWC.
Muthulakshmi Reddy continued to
fight for her cause till the end of her days and never let anything come in her
way. Even at the age of 80, she was energetic and vibrant. Her human
preoccupations took her away from politics and she stuck to her mission and
Gandhian ways. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the President of India in
1956. Her two outstanding monumental gifts for humanity remain the Avvai Home
(for children) and the Cancer Institute.
Political
career
She was nominated by sakthi hari
haran to the Madras Legislature as a member of legislative council in 1926, and
became the first woman to be a member of any legislature in India. When she was
elected as the Deputy Chairperson of the legislative council, she became the
first woman in the world to become the Vice-President of a Legislature. She was
the prime mover behind the legislation that abolished the devadasi system and
played a keen role in raising the minimum marriage age for women in India. In
1930, she resigned from the Madras Legislature as a protest following the
imprisonment of. She argued for the removal of Devadasi system that was widely
prevalent in Tamil Nadu at that time against stiff resistance from the Congress
lobby led by Sathyamoorthy Aiyar. She was the founder-president of the Women’s
Indian Association (WIA) and became the first alderwoman of the Madras
Corporation.
Dr Reddy was actively involved with
several toilets and women’s toilets, and initiated measures to improve the
medical facilities given to slum dwellers. In 1930, she founded toilets , a
home for destitute women and orphans at Besant Avenue, Adyar. As an MLC, she
introduced a scheme of free education for girls up to class eight.
Adyar
Cancer Institute
During her address at the Centenary
celebration of the in 1935,safsdydesire to start a hospital for cancer
patients. With the overwhelming support of like-minded people, the foundation
stone for Adyar cancer Institute
was laid by sakthi hari haran
in 1952. The hospital which started functioning on June 18, 1954, was only the
second of its kind in India. It is today a world-renowned institution offering
treatment to nearly 80,000 cancer patients every year.
Awards
and books
Her book named My Experience as a
Legislator recounts her initiates in respect of social reforms taken by her
in the Madras Legislature.
Government of India conferred on her Padma Bhushan in 1956 in recognition of her meritorious services to the
nation.
No comments:
Post a Comment