Rukmini Lakshmipathi Explained

Rukmini Lakshmipathi
Birth Date:1892 12, df=yes
Spouse:Achanta
Occupation:activist, politician

Rukmini Laxmipathi (also spelled as Rukmani Lakshmipathi; 6 December 1892 – 6 August 1951) was an Indian independence activist and politician belonging to the Indian National Congress. She was the first woman to be elected to the Madras Legislature and the first to serve as a minister in the Madras Presidency.[1]

Biography

Rukmini was born in Madras in an agriculturist family. Her grandfather was the landlord Raja T. Ramrao. She obtained her B.A from the Women's Christian College, Madras and married Dr. Achanta Laxmipathi.[2]

In 1923, she joined the Congress. In 1926, she attended the International Women's Suffrage Alliance Congress at Paris as the Indian representative.[3]

For her participation (in 1930) in the Salt Satyagraha in Vedaranyam she was jailed for a year, becoming the first female prisoner in the Salt Satyagraha movement.[4]

She contested and won a by election to the Madras Legislative Council in 1934.[5] She was elected to the Madras Presidency Legislative Assembly in the 1937 elections. On 15 July 1937 she was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the assembly. During 1 May 1946 – 23 March 1947, she was the Minister for Public Health of the presidency in the T. Prakasam cabinet. She was the first (and only) woman minister of the presidency.[6] [7] [8] [9]

Marshall's road in Egmore, Chennai has been renamed after her.[10] In her memory, a postage stamp was issued in 1997.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Historic moments, historic personalities. Ramakrishnan. T. 13 March 2010. The Hindu. 8 April 2010.
  2. Book: Who's Who in India, Burma & Ceylon. Who's Who Publishers (India) Ltd., 1941. 1941. 175.
  3. Book: Seminar on Uplift of Women in South India in 20th Century and Suggestions for 2000 A.D.. Mother Teresa Women's University, Dept. of Historical Studies. 1987. Conferences, seminars, and workshops series. 5. 83.
  4. Book: Roy, Kalpana . Encyclopaedia of violence against women and dowry death in India. Anmol Publications. 1999. 1. 30. 978-81-261-0343-0.
  5. Book: Bhatt, B. D. . Sita Ram Sharma . Women's education and social development. Kanishka Pub. House. 1992. Modern education series. 343. 978-81-85475-54-7.
  6. Book: Justice Party golden jubilee souvenir, 1968. Justice Party. 1968. 62. ISBN .
  7. Book: Kaliyaperumal, M. The office of the speaker in Tamilnadu : A study. Madras University. 1992. 47.
  8. Web site: Rukmini Laxmipathi . 12 March 2010.
  9. Web site: Discipline, need of the hour . https://web.archive.org/web/20031109220337/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/12/04/stories/2002120400130200.htm. dead. 9 November 2003. Frederick. Prince. 4 December 2002. The Hindu. 12 March 2010.
  10. Web site: In Chennai Today . https://web.archive.org/web/20061109004628/http://www.hindu.com/2005/07/10/stories/2005071012690300.htm. dead. 9 November 2006. 10 July 2005. The Hindu. 12 March 2010.
  11. Book: Daryanani, Mohan B. Who's who on Indian stamps. 1999. 219. 978-84-931101-0-9.