 "The formative years of Jayalalithaa")
J Jayalalithaa is indisputably one of the most powerful politicians in India today. For the faithful and her party cadres, she is the god-incarnate, “Amma” (mother) and Puratchi Thalaivi (revolutionary leader).
Born in 1948, Jayalalithaa has been the chief minister of Tamil Nadu since 2011 during her current stint. Earlier, she served as chief minister from 1991 to 1996, briefly in 2001, and from 2002 to 2006.
Born in an Iyengar family, her grandfather was in the service of the erstwhile princely state of Mysore as a surgeon. The prefix “Jaya” was added to the names of her family members to denote their association with Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar of Mysore.
Jayalalithaa studied at the Bishop Cotton Girl’s High School in Bangalore and another Christian convent at Church Park in Chennai. She first acted in a Kannada movie when she was 16. Her first Tamil movie was the memorable Vennira Aadai. But it was the grand success of Aayirathil Oruvan, pairing with legendary M G Ramachandran (popularly known as MGR) that catapulted her superstardom.
She was a popular filmstar in the southern film industry and acted in over 140 films, including one in Hindi.
All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) founder-leader MGR made Jayalalithaa the party's propaganda secretary in early 1980s. In 1984, she was made a Rajya Sabha member. After MGR’s death, she proclaimed herself as his true heir. Jayalalithaa, who choose never to marry, was elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly for the first time in 1989.
Just two years later, she became the chief minister, sweeping the 1991 elections held in the wake of Rajiv Gandhi's assassination. But she lost massively in the following elections amid corruption charges.
Jaya is the general secretary of AIADMK and the last word on all political decisions of the party. She is the second elected female chief minister of Tamil Nadu.
She contested seven times, of which she lost once in 1997 at Bargur and her nomination was rejected in 2001.
Born in 1948, Jayalalithaa has been the chief minister of Tamil Nadu since 2011 during her current stint. Earlier, she served as chief minister from 1991 to 1996, briefly in 2001, and from 2002 to 2006.
Born in an Iyengar family, her grandfather was in the service of the erstwhile princely state of Mysore as a surgeon. The prefix “Jaya” was added to the names of her family members to denote their association with Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar of Mysore.
Jayalalithaa studied at the Bishop Cotton Girl’s High School in Bangalore and another Christian convent at Church Park in Chennai. She first acted in a Kannada movie when she was 16. Her first Tamil movie was the memorable Vennira Aadai. But it was the grand success of Aayirathil Oruvan, pairing with legendary M G Ramachandran (popularly known as MGR) that catapulted her superstardom.
She was a popular filmstar in the southern film industry and acted in over 140 films, including one in Hindi.
All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) founder-leader MGR made Jayalalithaa the party's propaganda secretary in early 1980s. In 1984, she was made a Rajya Sabha member. After MGR’s death, she proclaimed herself as his true heir. Jayalalithaa, who choose never to marry, was elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly for the first time in 1989.
Just two years later, she became the chief minister, sweeping the 1991 elections held in the wake of Rajiv Gandhi's assassination. But she lost massively in the following elections amid corruption charges.
Jaya is the general secretary of AIADMK and the last word on all political decisions of the party. She is the second elected female chief minister of Tamil Nadu.
She contested seven times, of which she lost once in 1997 at Bargur and her nomination was rejected in 2001.