Entry into politics for women in India is tough. Let alone someone who comes from a family with no political legacy. The meteoric rise of Jayalalith more popularly known as “amma” for millions was nothing short of amazing.
Jayalalitha epitomized sheer determination, will power, boldness and rose to such exceptional heights, it will be an arduous task for any one to even come closer to the level where she had reached.
Among other things, Jayalalithaa’s legacy will be remembered in terms of what she did for the alleviation of the poor. Schemes such as cradles for babies, gold for girls getting married, subsidized meals at Rs 1, free water to households, subsidized bottled water, free power of 100 units per month and so on are introduced by her. An unique aspect of some of these schemes is the implementation which has been great like the mid-day meal programmes which has almost forced parents to send their children to schools for the meal and also thus ensuring that they get educated in the process.
While it all sounds inspiring, Jayalalitha’s rise didn’t come without her fair share of struggle.
At the age of 16 she was pushed to act in movies by her mother and then she goes on to become one of the biggest female stars in the Tamil film industry. The late MGR has been instrumental in her entry into politics in 1982 and her ascent in his party AIDMK.
On 25 March 1989, amidst heavy violence among the ruling DMK party members and the opposition. Jayalalitha was brutally attacked and visibly molested by the ruling DMK members. Jayalalitha left the Assembly with her torn saree -drawing a parallel with the shameful disrobing of Draupadi in the epic Mahabharata and vowed to not enter the house "until as a Chief Minister". True to her words in 1991 she became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu with the backing of Congress.
She became the ‘Iron Lady’ of Indian politics as a result of the setbacks she faced through out her political career. Every stumbling blocks along the way made her stronger and guarded.
Ever since 1969 Tamil Nadu has been ruled by Movie stars or movie script writers.Why? Because as in any big democracy, face recognition counts for a lot at the ballot box in India. But Jayalalitha stood out among them as a courageous woman and someone who had to find a foot hold in politics on her own after the demise of her mentor MGR.
Jayalalitha’s death can be termed as an end of an era for Indian politics. She has touched the hearts of millions with her charisma and leadership skills. For students of political science, Jayalalithaa’s life is a perfect study material to learn how a female leader from a humble background emerged as one of the top leaders of the country fighting all odds.
An ancient Tamil proverb avers that "The best place to store one's wealth is in the stomachs of the poor". Having gathered much good karma in the final decades of her life, Jayalalitha has left us for a better place where we hope that she finally finds the peace.
