37 Facts About Muthulakshmi Reddy

Muthulakshmi Reddy was an Indian medical practitioner, social reformer and Padma Bhushan award recipient.

Muthulakshmi Reddy was appointed to the Madras Legislative Council in 1926.

Muthulakshmi Reddy had a number of firsts to her name: the first female 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, the first woman Deputy President of the Legislative Council, and the first woman in the Madras Corporation.

Muthulakshmi Reddy's name was included in the first national flag hoisted on Red Fort in 1947.

Muthulakshmi Reddy's father was S Narayanaswami Iyer, the Principal of Maharaja's College.

Muthulakshmi Reddy developed a close relationship with the maternal side of her family, and this closeness made her very perceptive of the Devadasi community and their issues.

Chandrammal wanted to search for a bridegroom but Muthulakshmi Reddy had different aspirations.

Muthulakshmi Reddy expressed a need to be different from the common lot.

Muthulakshmi Reddy was against the subordination of women to men and rebelled whenever she heard people say that only boys needed education.

When Muthulakshmi Reddy passed the Matriculation exam she applied for admission to Maharaja's College but her application was not welcomed by the Principal or the parents of other students.

Muthulakshmi Reddy's gender was a factor as was her background.

Muthulakshmi Reddy graduated with flying colours and her father suggested that she can become a school teacher but she had higher aspirations.

Muthulakshmi Reddy entered Madras Medical College in 1907 as the first woman to be admitted there, she received a scholarship of 150 rupees from the maharaja, completed her studies in 1912 with seven gold medals, and became House Surgeon in the Government Hospital for Women and Children in Madras.

Muthulakshmi Reddy looked after this child while she was still a medical student.

Muthulakshmi Reddy found women who shared her concerns and addressed them in terms of women's rights.

Muthulakshmi Reddy worked for women's emancipation at a time when women were confined in the four walls of their room.

Muthulakshmi Reddy 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 to enter the Madras Legislative Council.

Muthulakshmi Reddy led the agitation for the municipal and legislative franchise for women.

Muthulakshmi Reddy arranged for them free board and lodging and started the Avvai Home in Chennai.

Muthulakshmi Reddy passed a resolution to establish a special hospital for women and children.

Muthulakshmi Reddy recommended systematic medical inspection of students in all schools and colleges, run by municipalities as well as other local bodies.

Muthulakshmi Reddy was the president of the All-India Women's Conference.

Muthulakshmi Reddy passed the bill for the suppression of brothels and the immoral trafficking of women and children.

Muthulakshmi Reddy recommended to the government that the minimum age for marriage be raised to at least 21 for boys and 16 for girls.

Muthulakshmi Reddy became the first chairperson of the State Social Welfare Board.

Muthulakshmi Reddy's work on the Hartog Education Committee, which incorporated a study of educational progress in India, is a great achievement.

Muthulakshmi Reddy was the only female member of the committee and brought about many improvements.

Muthulakshmi Reddy was the editor of Roshini, an important journal of AIWC.

Muthulakshmi Reddy continued to fight for her cause until the end of her days.

Muthulakshmi Reddy was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the President of India in 1956.

Muthulakshmi Reddy was a legislator in Madras where she moved the Bill in 1926 to abolish Devadasi system.

Muthulakshmi Reddy worked as the elected deputy chairman of the assembly, the first example of a woman in that position in the whole world.

Muthulakshmi Reddy supported the participation of women in Civil Disobedience Movement of 1930, and she resigned as legislator protesting against the arrest of Mahatma Gandhi.

Muthulakshmi Reddy had seen her younger sister die of Cancer, and the radiation treatment was far away in Kolkata or Ranchi.

Muthulakshmi Reddy didn't succeed at first but later she founded the institute with her great efforts.

Muthulakshmi Reddy worked for the Tamil music movement, Tamil Language development and she protested to increase the salary of Tamil teachers and writers.

Muthulakshmi Reddy was the editor of the monthly magazine 'Sthree Dharumam' for women run by the Indian Women Association.