JAYALALITHA
Jayalalitha is the powerful political woman came from movie industry. She is the former Chief Minister and current leader of the opposition of the Government of Tamil Nadu. She also holds the position of general secretary of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), a Dravidian party in the state. She is popularly known as “Amma”, “Puratchi Thalaivi” and “Iron Lady” among the people. She was a popular film star in Tamil cinema before her entry into politics. In this Lok Sabha election, Jayalalitha supports the Third Front to keep the UPA and NDA out of power. People hoped that she will be the prime ministerial candidate of Third Front. However, she denied the ambition to become Prime Minister of India. Moreover, she said that prime ministerial candidate would take place only after the election results are announced.
BIOGRAPHY
Jayalalitha was born in Mysore in Tamil family. Her original name was Komalavalli. She lose her father at the age of two and her mother Sandhya was an actress in the Tamil cinema. She gained her education from Bishop Cotton Girls High School in Bangalore and from Presentation Convent Church Park in Chennai. She got the scholarship for higher studies from Government of India, but with the advice of her mother, she moved into film industry. She is a successful actress in the Tamil film industry. She also acted in many other language films including English, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu etc. Her first movie was in English titled “Epistle”. Her first film in Kannada titled “Chinnada Gombe” was a major hit film at that time. Her first Telugu film “Manushulu Mamathalu” made her a superstar. Her last film was “Nadhiyai Thedi Vandha Kadal” released in 1980. She was trained in Carnatic Music and sung many beautiful songs in her film career. She had also interests in dance forms such as Bharata Natyam, Mohini Attam, Kathak and Manipuri and she did hundreds of performances in Bharatha Natyam. She entered into the politics by the close friendship with M.G.Ramachandran (M.G.R), the movie star, leader of the AIADMK party and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. In 1981, she joined the AIADMK and became MP to the Rajya Sabha from 1984. At that time, there was a rumor exists that Jayalalithaa and M. G. R had an extramarital relationship and this relationship helped her to become a follower of him. On M.G R’s death, she was transferred by the party. Her popularity and her image as the “wronged woman” helped her to win the elections to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly in 1989, and she became the first woman leader of the opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu. In 1991 elections, her alliance with Indian National Congress gives a massive victory, and she was re-elected to the legislative assembly and became the first elected woman chief minister of Tamil Nadu. During these days, she has to face many ups and down in the world of politics. Major successes of her government are banning of high interest private loans, completion of New Veeranam Water Supply Scheme for Chennai, banning lottery tickets to encourage savings, elimination of the much feared bandit Veerappan, introduction of Videoconferencing in Jails and Courts, all women police stations, rain water harvesting scheme . She has been charged with possession of assets beyond her known sources of income. The lavish wedding of her foster son has also drawn strong criticism. She has been accused for her income tax and its verifications. In 1996 elections, she was defeated and Karunanidhi became Chief minister of Tamil Naidu. Karunanidhi government arrested her on charges of corruption and Jayalalitha spent a few weeks in jail. However, in 2001 elections, she returned to power with a huge majority and also elected as the Chief minister of Tamil Naidu . In 2007 Legislative assembly elections, Jayalalitha’s AIADMK suffered a defeat and Jayalalitha submitted her resignation to the state Governor. Now she served as an opposition leader in the assembly. She is dedicated her full life into politics, so she is unmarried untill now.
AWARDS AND HONORS
Actress cum politician Jayalalitha won numerous awards and honors throughout her life. Tamil Nadu government honored her by giving the award “Kalaimamani” for her contribution to the movie industry. University of Madras honored her by giving the degree of “Doctor of Literature”. The Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University also honored her by giving the degree of “Doctor of Science” and the Madurai Kamaraj University give the degree of “Doctor of Letters”. The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University gives the degree of “Doctor of Science” and the Bharathidasan University gives the degree of “Doctor of Letters”. She also received the honorary degree of “Doctor of Laws” by the Tamil Nadu Dr.Ambedkar Law University.
