Jayalalithaa Jayaram
- Original name:
- Komalavalli
- Also called:
- Amma (“Mother”) or Puratchi Thalaivi (“Revolutionary Leader”)
- Born:
- February 24, 1948, near Mysore [now Mysuru], India
- Died:
- December 5, 2016, Chennai (aged 68)
- Political Affiliation:
- All India Dravidian Progressive Federation
Jayalalithaa Jayaram (born February 24, 1948, near Mysore [now Mysuru], India—died December 5, 2016, Chennai) was an Indian film actress and politician who served as the leader of the All India Dravidian Progressive Federation (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam; AIADMK). She served a record six times (1991–96; May 14–September 21, 2001; 2002–06; 2011–14; May 23, 2015–May 22, 2016; May 23–December 5, 2016) as chief minister of Tamil Nadu, India. She was popularly known as Amma (“Mother”).
She was born near what is now Mysuru, Karnataka. Her father died when she was two years old, and her family moved first to Bangalore (now Bengaluru) and then to Madras (now Chennai). She learned the classical dance style bharata natyam, and her arangetram (Tamil: “stage debut”) in 1960 was presided over by Tamil actor Sivaji Ganesan, who recognized her talent and urged her to become an actress.
Film career
Jayalalithaa became a highly successful actress, starring in more than 140 films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, and English between 1964 and 1980. Her Tamil debut was in Vennira Aadai (1965; “White Dress”). Her breakthrough came in the same year, when she was cast alongside Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran (MGR), chief minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977 to 1987, in the blockbuster Ayirathil Oruvan (“One in a Thousand”). The Jayalalithaa-Ramachandran pair became one of Tamil Nadu’s most beloved movie duos, starring together in many hits.
Entry into politics
Jayalalithaa joined the AIADMK in 1982 after an invitation from her mentor, Ramachandran. Her rise through party ranks was rapid. In 1983 she was appointed propaganda secretary, and the following year she secured a seat in the Rajya Sabha (upper house of the Indian parliament). When Ramachandran died in 1987, Jayalalithaa stayed beside his body for more than 20 hours. During the funeral procession, when she tried to enter the gun carriage bearing Ramachandran’s coffin, she was pushed out by a political rival in the AIADMK.
Later that year the AIADMK split into two factions, with Ramachandran’s wife, Janaki Ramachandran, and Jayalalithaa leading rival groups. In February 1989 the rift was resolved, and the factions merged after Ramachandran retired from politics. Jayalalithaa then became the leader of the party and was elected to the state legislative assembly, where she led the opposition against the ruling Dravidian Progressive Federation (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam; DMK). Later that year an incident in the assembly, in which a DMK member reportedly tore her sari after a verbal altercation, strengthened her resolve to return the AIADMK to power.
Chief ministership
Jayalalithaa served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu multiple times, beginning in 1991 when the AIADMK swept the state assembly elections, heading a coalition government with the Indian National Congress (Congress Party). She was characterized by her ability to make comebacks despite suffering setbacks. She returned to power in 2001, 2002, 2011, 2015, and 2016, becoming the only chief minister in Tamil Nadu’s history to serve six terms. In 1998 the AIADMK aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which formed the union government. She withdrew AIADMK support from the NDA government the following year, which led to the collapse of that government.
Corruption scandals
Jayalalithaa’s career was marred by allegations of corruption. During her first term as chief minister (1991–96), she reportedly acquired millions of dollars’ worth of properties, allegedly in a manner inconsistent with her known sources of income. The lavish wedding ceremony she hosted for her foster son in 1995, at the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars, sparked widespread criticism. After the AIADMK lost the 1996 state assembly elections, the DMK, back in power, filed about 40 corruption cases against Jayalalithaa, leading to her imprisonment for a month. Jayalalithaa had to resign as chief minister for brief periods in 2001 and 2014, because she was found guilty of corruption. In 2015 she was acquitted of all charges related to the 1996 corruption cases.
Populist programs
As chief minister, Jayalalithaa introduced many populist initiatives. The Amma canteen and Amma water projects provided affordable, clean food and drinking water. The Cradle Baby initiative sought to prevent female infanticide by allowing parents to give their babies up for state adoption. She launched a marriage assistance program for economically disadvantaged women, which provided financial aid to help with marriage expenses.
Death and legacy
Jayalalithaa died on December 5, 2016, at age 68, following cardiac arrest. She was a beloved actress and a popular chief minister. Her four-day fast over the Kaveri River dispute with Karnataka in 1991 to demand fair distribution of the river’s waters garnered widespread support in Tamil Nadu. The notorious brigand, poacher, and smuggler Veerappan was hunted down and killed by Tamil Nadu security forces during Jayalalithaa’s term as chief minister. In 2004 she was awarded the Golden Star of Honour and Dignity Award by the International Human Rights Defence Committee for her efforts to promote gender equality.