Articles
The Wonder Woman
It is June, 1964; the place — Stella Maria College for Women, Madras, the first day of the academic year. In the milling crowd of pre-university students, there are some laughing, chattering young women obviously much at ease withone another. I am an outsider from another city, in a smaller group, rather more ill-at-ease, watching everyone else.
At the center of the larger group, there is a fresh-faced young woman, who stands out in the crowd for her looks, her grace, her flower-like charm. People nudge each other, whisper her name with awe, and we all sneak glances, quite unaware of who or what this girl represents, what her destiny is going to be. She does not return for the second day of college. Her life is elsewhere.
Soon her face is plastered all over the city, on luridly-coloured posters, rumours spin of links with male co-stars. Within a few years that fresh flower-like look has gone, her girth is considerable and her films have descended into crass vulgarity. The girls who were at school with her speak regretfully of her academic brilliance, of how she might have won great laurels if she had continued to study.
The Iron Lady of India
GLAMOUR queen turned grisly politician! She is the new ‘Iron Lady of India’. The 53-year-old Jayalalitha was once a screen star. Though only a provincial leader, she is, in the words of a political commentator, ‘a colossus who dominates national politics’. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi loved to be known as the only man in her cabinet. Jayalalitha goes a step further. As chief minister of Tamil Nadu, a southern State, she loves to be known as the only man in the 100 million strong political party she heads. This is surprising because Tamil Nadu, though small, is respected for the intellectual strength, political sagacity, legal acumen and moral rectitude of its people. Indira Gandhi’s power was not resisted because of her Nehru bloodlines. But Jayalalitha has no pedigree to flaunt. Whatever she has achieved — what has she not achieved? — she owes it wholly to herself. She models herself on Margaret Thatcher and Indira Gandhi.
Born in poverty in another State, Mysore, with her father dead in her second year, she and her mother found themselves cast away in a heartless man’s world. In sheer despair, they moved to the neighbouring Madras (since renamed Tamil Nadu) State. Forced to fend for themselves, they developed a crushing sense of insecurity. Happily, soon enough, with her youth and good looks on her side, the mother had no difficulty in making a debut in films. Gradually, she managed to get her little daughter admitted to one of the best Convent schools in town, Church Park. Jayalalitha, a once shy, timid, tiny introvert, was so outstanding in her studies that her portrait hangs in her school as a star alumnus with academic excellence as her only passion.
Actress Turned Politician
Jayalalitha Jayaram, a former actress known for her extravagant taste, has always been one of India’s most controversial politicians.
With 18 seats in parliament, she knows the government is dependent on her - and has been trying to use her position of power to maximum effect.
Since the BJP-led coaltion government came to power just over a year ago, Jayalalitha has threatened to withdraw support several times.
JJ Returns to Power
Indian politician and former movie star Jayalalitha has been sworn in as chief minister of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, five months after she quit the post in a bribery scandal.
The 54-year-old head of the state’s ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party began her third term in office after winning a by-election in Andipatti last Sunday.
Hundreds of supporters packed Madras University centenary hall for the lavish ceremony, while many others watched the proceedings on a giant television screen outside.
Speaking afterwards, Jayalalitha said she felt “an immense sense of gratitude towards the people of Tamil Nadu who have supported me and stood by me through thick and thin”.
Jayalalitha was forced to step down last September because she was not member of the state legislature.
The outgoing Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalitha, is one of India’s most colourful and controversial politicians. A former actress, her career has been marked by a series of high and lows.
In most cases the lows have been followed by dramatic political comebacks in which she has been re-instated as Tamil Nadu chief minister.
She has also been feted over the last 10 years by various Indian prime ministers requiring her political support to remain in power.
Her admirers say she has played a key role in the development of the state of Tamil Nadu as one of India’s most economically influential states.