Muthulakshmi Reddy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Muthulakshmi Reddy
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Muthulakshmi Reddy, c. 1912
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| Born | 30 July 1886 |
| Died | 22 July 1968 (aged 81) |
| Known for | Social Reformer, Women's Rights Activism and Writing |
| Spouse(s) | Sundara Reddy |
| Children | S. Krishnamurthi S. Rammohan |
| Relatives | Gemini Ganesan |
| Awards | Padma Bhushan (1956) |
Muthulakshmi Reddy (born July 30, 1886 – died July 22, 1968) was an amazing Indian doctor and a champion for social change. She received the Padma Bhushan award, one of India's highest honors.
In 1926, Muthulakshmi Reddy was chosen to join the Madras Legislative Council. This was the start of her lifelong mission. She wanted to make things fair for women. She worked hard to end harmful social practices and fought for equal rights.
Muthulakshmi Reddy achieved many "firsts" in her life. She was the first female student to join a college for men. She became the first woman House Surgeon in a government hospital. She was also the first woman to become a legislator in British India. Later, she was the first woman Deputy President of the Legislative Council. She was also the first chairperson of the State Social Welfare Advisory Board.
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Early Life and Education
Muthulakshmi Reddy was born in Pudukkottai, a princely state in Tamil Nadu. Even though girls faced many challenges in India at that time, she managed to get a higher education. She was accepted into medical school.
In 1907, she joined the Madras Medical College. She was a brilliant student, winning many gold medals and awards. In 1912, Reddy graduated, becoming one of India's first female doctors. After her studies, she was inspired by Annie Besant and later by Mahatma Gandhi.
Her father, S. Narayanaswami Iyer, was the Principal of Maharaja's College. Her mother was Chandrammal. Her father broke tradition by sending Muthulakshmi to school. She loved learning so much that her teachers taught her extra subjects. When she reached puberty, she had to leave school, but her lessons continued at home.
Muthulakshmi had big dreams. She did not want to be like other girls of her time. She believed women should not be treated as less important than men. She always spoke up when people said only boys needed an education.
When Reddy passed her entrance exam, she applied to Maharaja's College. But the principal and other parents were not happy. They worried about a girl studying with boys. However, the Maharaja of Pudukottai ignored these worries. He let her join the college and even gave her a scholarship. Her father suggested she become a school teacher, but she aimed higher. She went to Madras Medical College and became a House Surgeon in a hospital in Chennai.
In 1914, at age 28, she married Sundara Reddy. She made sure he promised to always treat her as an equal. After marriage, she took his surname, Reddy. The famous Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan was her brother's son.
Influences and Inspiration
During her college days, Muthulakshmi met Sarojini Naidu. She started attending women's meetings. Here, she found other women who shared her concerns. They talked about women's rights.
Two very important people influenced her life: Mahatma Gandhi and Annie Besant. They encouraged her to dedicate her life to helping women and children. She worked for women's freedom at a time when many women were kept inside their homes.
Championing Social Change
Muthulakshmi Reddy went to England for further studies. She gave up her successful medical career to help the Women's Indian Association (WIA). They asked her to join the Madras Legislative Council. She was chosen unanimously as its deputy president.
She led the fight for women to have the right to vote in local and national elections. She cared deeply about orphaned girls. She arranged for them to have free housing and food. This led her to start the Avvai Home in Chennai.
Muthulakshmi wrote a book called My Experience as a Legislator. It tells about her work in social reforms. She proposed a plan to build a special hospital for women and children. The government agreed and added a children's section to a maternity hospital. She also suggested regular health checks for students in all schools and colleges. The Kasturba Hospital in Triplicane stands as a reminder of her efforts.
She was also the president of the All-India Women's Conference. The Avvai Home for girls and women was opened because of her hard work. It provided a safe place for poor and needy girls.
"The hostels were all caste-based and would not admit them. Neither would schools. It was then that she decided to house them and educate them herself. Thus was born 'Avvai Illam'(Avvai's Home) for the poor and destitute girls." ~ Extracted from Muthulakshmi Reddy: A Trailblazer in Surgery and Women's Rights, published by Niyogi Books in 2022.
Thanks to her efforts, a hostel for Muslim girls was opened. Scholarships were also given to girls from the Harijan community. She advised the government to raise the minimum age for marriage. She wanted it to be at least 21 for boys and 16 for girls.
Muthulakshmi also started the Cancer Relief Fund. This fund has grown into a major organization in India. It helps with cancer treatment and research. Patients from all over India come for help. She became the first chairperson of the State Social Welfare Board. She was also a member of the Hartog Education Committee. This committee studied how education was progressing in India. She traveled widely and learned about women's education across the country. She was the only female member and helped make many improvements. She also edited Roshini, an important magazine for the AIWC.
She continued her fight for social causes until the end of her life. She never let anything stop her. Even at 80, she was full of energy. Her focus on helping people led her away from politics. She stuck to her mission and followed Mahatma Gandhi's ideas. In 1956, the President of India gave her the Padma Bhushan award. Her two greatest gifts to India are the Avvai Home (for children) and the Cancer Institute.
Political Achievements
In 1926, she was nominated to the Madras Legislature. This made her 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 hold such a high position in a legislature.
She was the main person behind the law that ended the Devadasi system. This was a system where young girls were dedicated to temples but often faced exploitation. She also played a key role in raising the minimum marriage age for women in India. In 1930, she resigned from the Madras Legislature to protest against Mahatma Gandhi's imprisonment. She was also the founder-president of the Women's Indian Association (WIA). She became the first alderwoman of the Madras Corporation.
Reddy worked to set up more toilets, especially for women. She also started programs to improve medical care for people living in slums. In 1930, she founded Avvai Illam.
Adyar Cancer Institute
In 1935, Muthulakshmi Reddy announced her dream to start a hospital for cancer patients. The first stone for the Adyar Cancer Institute was laid by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952. The hospital opened on June 18, 1954. It was only the second hospital of its kind in India. Today, it treats nearly 80,000 cancer patients every year.
Supporting Tamil Language
Muthulakshmi Reddy also worked to support Tamil music and the Tamil language. She protested to increase the salaries of Tamil teachers and writers. She was the editor of 'Sthree Dharumam', a monthly magazine for women run by the Indian Women Association.
Awards and Writings
Her book, My Experience as a Legislator, shares her efforts in social reforms while she was in the Madras Legislature.
The Government of India gave her the Padma Bhushan award in 1956. This was to honor her great services to the nation.
An award is now given to women who help prevent cancer, inspired by Muthulakshmi Reddy.
Legacy
On July 30, 2019, Google honored her with a special Google Doodle. This celebrated what would have been her 133rd birthday.
In 2022, a book called Muthulakshmi Reddy—A Trailblazer in Surgery and Women’s Rights was published. It highlights her important contributions as a doctor, social reformer, and feminist.
