I found my eyes well up with tears when I heard the news on television - Jayalalitha was no more. I have watched her political career through much of my adult life, witnessed her rise like a phoenix through all her trials and tribulations. Politicians from across the spectrum describe her as ‘iconic’, ‘tenacious’, ‘inspiration’, ‘towering figure’..but to the people of the State of Tamil Nadu, she was, and will continue to be, ‘Amma’, the mother who would protect and nurture them.
At the age of 15 she had acted in a Kannada movie, Chinnada Gombe (A Doll of Gold). As an actress, she ruled the roost for over two decades with scripts being written specifically for her; she was also the highest paid Indian actress in her time. Trained in classical music and many dance forms of the country, she was one of those politicians who spoke impeccable English, a reflection of the education that she received and her being a voracious reader.
Such was her enigma that she made inroads into the field of politics in a largely misogynist and patriarchal society. As Chief Minister, her various welfare programmes for the underprivileged accounted for about 35-37% of the budget - subsidised meals, education scholarships to encourage education of girls etc. She continued her journey as a doll of gold!
With her going, the Queen of Hearts is lost. From now on, the game of politics will be played with an incomplete pack of cards.
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