Jayalalithaa Jayaram, South Indian actress-turned-politician, was the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. She was also the chairman of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party.
Popularly recognised as ‘Amma’, Jayalalithaa sworn-in as the chief minister on 23 May 2016 for the fourth time.
She holds the title of being the second female Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. She also maintains the record for being the six-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu.
Her supporters and followers call her “Amma”, meaning mother, and “Puratchi Thalaivi“, meaning revolutionary leader.
Jayalalithaa, as she is generally referred to, was a leading South Indian film star, before she joined politics under the guidance of former Tamil Nadu CM late MGR. She had appeared as a lead actress in many movies in Tamil, Kannada and Telugu languages.
She was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1984 and served in this post till 1989. She also yields the record of carrying the chief ministerial seat five times with DMK president M. Karunanidhi.
JAYALALITHAA IN HER PERSONAL LIFE
Jayalalitha was born in Mysore (now in the state of Karnataka) at a place called Melukote on 24 February 1948 in a Tamil Iyengar family. Her father Jayaram was a lawyer by profession, passed away when she was just two years old. After the sudden demise of her father, Jayalalitha and her brother Jayakumar shifted to Bangalore along with their mother Vedavathi.
Her mother, Vedavathi, started acting in Tamil cinema with the screen name of Sandhya.
‘Jaya’, meaning ‘victorious’, is a cognomen practised in the name of Jayalalitha, her brother Jayakumar and her other members of her family. This represents the family’s relationship with the Wodeyar Dynasty of Mysore, which determines back to 1880-1920 when Jayalalitha’s grandfather, a specialist by profession, used to assist the Mysore Kingdom.
EARLY LIFE OF JAYALALITHAA
Jayalalithaa completed her schooling from Bishop Cotton Girls’ High School, Chennai, popularly known as Presentation Church Park Convent.
She was a very bright student and had earned the scholarship for higher studies after finishing her matriculation in 1964.
However, she entered south film industry shortly after that. Her career saw her acting in films of various languages, comprising English, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu.
She was a qualified Bharatanatyam dancer and had knowledge in other dance styles like Kathak, Mohiniyattam and Manipuri as well.
She also presented her voice as a singer in some of her films. She had profound knowledge in English, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam.
JAYALALITHAA’S DISPROPORTIONATE ASSETS CASE
Jayalalithaa was acquitted in the 18-year-old disproportionate assets (amounting to Rs. 66.65 crores) and corruption case by the Karnataka High Court on 11 May 2015.
The trial court had convicted and imprisoned her to four years added with a fine of Rs. 100 crore on 27 September 2014. Jayalalithaa registered an appeal challenging the decision of the Karnataka High Court. These charges were contained “not sustainable” by the special bench of the Karnataka High Court.
Earlier, the five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was held chargeable by a special court in Bangalore in a disproportionate assets case, as a result, made to vacate her post. The charges were levelled by then Congress (now BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy in 1996. She was convicted under IPC 109 and 120 (b) along with 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
JOURNEY IN INDIAN POLITICS
–In 1982, Jayalalithaa made her entry into politics by becoming the member of the AIADMK, founded by M.G. Ramachandran.
–She gave her first public appearance, Pennin Perumai (the Pride of Women), at the gathering of the party in 1982.
–She became the Propaganda Secretary of the AIADMK in January 1983.
–Jayalalithaa carried her first election campaign in February 1983 as a candidate in the by-election from the Tiruchendur Assembly Constituency.
–Jayalalithaa was elected for the first time as the member of the Rajya Sabha in 1984 and she held the seat till 1989.
–In 1984, party supremo M.G.R. fell sick and went to the U.S.A for medical treatment. In his absence, Jayalalithaa came to the lead during Lok Sabha elections and the Legislative Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu in December 1984. That year, the alliance of Congress (I) and AIADMK achieved a huge victory.
–Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. expired in 1987, and just after that, the AIADMK broke into two parties. The election figure of the party, “Two Leaves”, was frozen by the Election Commission of India.