AMMU SWAMINATHAN (1894–1978)
Ammu Swaminathan was born in 1894 into an upper-caste Hindu family in Anakkara, in the Palghat district of present-day Kerala. At the age of thirteen, she married Subbarama Swaminathan, a self-made man from a middle-class Kerala Iyer family who had earned scholarships to study at the Universities of Edinburgh and London, rising through significant hardships to become a respected intellectual.
A pioneering voice in India’s freedom movement and women's rights activism, Ammu Swaminathan emerged as a key figure in early 20th-century reformist circles. In 1917, she co-founded the Women’s India Association (WIA) in Madras, alongside stalwarts such as Annie Besant, Margaret Cousins, Malathi Patwardhan, Mrs. Dadabhoy, and Mrs. Ambujammal. The WIA was
instrumental in advocating for women's suffrage, education, and social reform.
In 1946, she was elected to the Constituent Assembly of India from the Madras Constituency. There, she played an active role in debates, particularly focusing on social and educational reform. During the final discussion on the passage of the Constitution on November 24, 1949, she proudly proclaimed: "People outside have been saying that India did not give equal rights to her women. Now we can say that when the Indian people themselves framed their Constitution, they have given rights to women equal with every other citizen of the country."
In post-independence India, Ammu Swaminathan continued her public service. She served as the President of the Bharat Scouts and Guides, and in 1975, she was honoured as "Mother of the Year", recognizing her lifelong contributions to society and national development.
She was also the matriarch of a distinguished family. Among her four children were: Govind Swaminathan, who served as the Advocate-General of Tamil Nadu (1969–1976), and Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan (Sahgal), a renowned freedom fighter, INA officer, medical doctor, and later a Rajya Sabha member. Captain Lakshmi was also nominated as a presidential candidate in 2002, underscoring the family’s enduring commitment to public service and national progress.
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