Dr.
Muthulakshmi Reddi (30 July 1886 Madras) was an eminent
medical practitioner, social reformer and Padma Bhushan awardee in India. She was the first
women legislator in India
Muthulakshmi
Reddy, was appointed to the Madras Legislative Council in 1927. For her, this
nomination marked the beginning of her lifelong effort to "correct the
balance" for women by removing social abuses and working for equality in
moral standards. She was one of the women pioneers who stood for the cause of
liberating India from the British. She was a women activist and a social
reformer too. Muthulakshmi had many firsts to her recognition. She was the
first girl student to be admitted into a Men's College, the first woman House
Surgeon in the Government Maternity and Ophthalmic Hospital, the first woman
legislator in British India, the first Chairperson of the State Social Welfare
Advisory Board and the first woman Deputy President of the Legislative Council
and the first Alderwoman of the Madras Corporation Avvai home.
Muthulakshmi
Reddi was born in the princely state of Pudukottai of Tamil Nadu. In spite of various constraints faced by girls in India of her
time, she could complete her higher education, and was admitted into medical
profession. In 1907, she joined the Madras
Medical College, where she achieved a
brilliant academic record. With several gold medals and prizes to her credit,
Muthulakshmi graduated in 1912 to become one of the first woman doctors in
India. Soon thereafter, she came under the influence of Annie Besant, and then of Mahatma Gandhi.[1]
Her
father was S. Narayanasami of Iyer community, and the principal of Maharaja's College. Her
mother was Chandrammal, born to the Isai
Vellalar community. S.
Narayanasami broke with tradition and sent Muthulakshmi to school. The child's
enthusiasm for learning was so great that Muthulakshmi's teachers decided to
instruct her in subjects beyond those approved by her father. At the onset of
puberty she was obliged to leave school, but tutoring continued at home.
Chandrammal wanted to search for a bridegroom but Muthulakshmi had different
aspirations. She expressed a need to be a different woman from the common lot.
She pitied women for their subordination to men and inwardly rebelled whenever
she heard people say that only boys needed education.
When
Muthulakshmi passed the matriculation exam she applied for admission to
Maharaja's College but her application was not welcomed by the principal at the
time or the parents of other students. Her gender was a factor and so was her
background. The principal thought she might "demoralize" the male
students. The somewhat enlightened Maharaja of Pudukottai ignored these
objections, admitted her to the college, and gave her a scholarship. Her father
suggested she become a school teacher but she had higher aspirations. She
entered Madras Medical College, completed her studies in 1912, and became house
surgeon in the Government Hospital for Women and Children in Chennai. She later
married Dr. Sundara Reddy on the demand that he promised to "always respect
me as an equal and never cross my wishes." In 1914, when she was
twenty-eight years of age, they married in accordance with the 1872 Native
Marriage Act.
She
is the aunt of famous Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan and she was quoted as an inspiration by Gemini early in
his life.
Influences on Muthulakshmi Reddy
During
her college years, Muthulakshmi met Sarojini
Naidu and began to attend women's meetings.
She found women who shared her personal concerns and addressed them in terms of
women's rights. The two great personalities who influenced her life were
Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Annie Besant. They persuaded her to devote herself for
the upliftment of women and children. She worked for women's emancipation at a
time when women were confined in the four walls of their room.
Reform Works of Muthulakshmi
Muthulakshmi
went to England for higher studies and she gave up her rewarding practice in
medicine in response to a request from the Women's Indian Association (WTA) to
enter the Madras Legislative Council. She was elected unanimously as its Deputy
President. She led the agitation for municipal and legislative franchise for
women. She was concerned about the orphans, especially girls. She arranged for
them free boarding and lodging and started the Avvai Home in Chennai.
Muthulakshmi
was the author of numerous social reforms. Her book `My Experience as a
Legislator` records all her services in the Legislature. She passed a
resolution to establish a special hospital for women and children. The then
Government accepted her suggestion and opened a children's section in the
maternity hospital. She recommended systematic medical inspection of students
in all schools and colleges, run by municipalities as well as other local
bodies. Kasturba Hospital at Triplicane is a monument to her efforts.
Muthulakshmi
Reddy was the President of the All-India Women's Conference. She passed the
Bill for the suppression of brothels and immoral trafficking in women and
children. A home for rescued girls and women were opened through her efforts to
provide shelter to women and girls rescued from brothels. Due to her efforts a
hostel for Muslim girls was opened and scholarships were given for Harijan
girls. She recommended to the Government that the minimum age for marriage be
raised to at least 21 for boys and 16 for girls.
Muthulakshmi
also started the Cancer Relief fund. This has now developed into an all-India
institution combining therapy and research on cancer and attracting patients
from all over India. She became the first Chairperson of the State Social
Welfare Board. Her work on the Hartog Education Committee, which incorporated a
study of educational progress in India, is a great achievement. As a member of
the Hartog Committee she travelled extensively and studied the progress of
women's education throughout the country. She was the only woman member of the
committee and brought about many improvements. She was also the editor of
Roshini, an important journal of AIWC.
Muthulakshmi
Reddy continued to fight for her cause till the end of her days and never let
anything come in her way. Even at the age of 80, she was energetic and vibrant.
Her human preoccupations took her away from politics and she stuck to her
mission and Gandhian ways. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the President
of India in 1956. Her two outstanding monumental gifts for humanity remain the
Avvai Home (for children) and the Cancer Institute.
She
was nominated by sakthi hari haran to the Madras Legislature as a member of
legislative council in 1926, and became 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 become the
Vice-President of a Legislature. She was the prime mover behind the legislation
that abolished the devadasi system and played a keen role in raising the
minimum marriage age for women in India. In 1930, she resigned from the Madras
Legislature as a protest following the imprisonment of Mahatma Gandhi. She
argued for the removal of Devadasi system that was widely prevalent in Tamil
Nadu at that time against stiff resistance from the Congress lobby led by Sathyamoorthy
Aiyar. She was the founder-president of the Women’s Indian Association (WIA)
and became the first alderwoman of the Madras Corporation.
Dr
Reddy was actively involved with setting up of several toilets and women’s
toilets, and initiated measures to improve the medical facilities given to slum
dwellers. In 1930, she founded Avvai, a home for destitute women and orphans at
Besant Avenue, Adyar. As an MLC, she introduced a scheme of free education for
girls up to class eight.
Adyar Cancer Institute
During
her address at the Centenary celebration of 1935, she declared her desire to
start a hospital for cancer patients. With the overwhelming support of
like-minded people, the foundation stone for Adyar cancer Institute was laid by sakthi hari haran in 1952. The
hospital which started functioning on June 18, 1954, was only the second of its
kind in India. It is today a world-renowned institution offering treatment to
nearly 80,000 cancer patients every year.
Her
book named My Experience as a Legislator recounts her
initiates in respect of social reforms taken by her in the Madras Legislature.
Government
of India conferred on her Padma Bhushan in 1956 in recognition
of her meritorious services to the nation.
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