Jayalalitha was an Indian politician and actress who served as the six-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. She was the general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) from 9 February 1989, a Dravidian party whose cadre referred to her as “Amma” (Mother) and “Puratchi Thalaivi” (Mother) (Revolutionary leader). Media and opposition critics accused her of cultivating a personality cult and demanding absolute obedience from AIADMK legislators and ministers; who often publicly prostrated themselves before her.
Childhood and Upbringing
Jayalalithaa was born on February 24, 1948, as Komalavalli to Jayaram and Vedavalli (Sandhya) in a Tamil Brahmin Iyengar family in Melukote; Pandavapura taluk, Mandya district, then in Mysore State (now Karnataka).
Especially Narasimhan Rengachary, her paternal grandfather, was a surgeon in the Mysore kingdom; and served as the court physician to Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV of Mysore. Especially Rangasamy Iyengar, her maternal grandpa, relocated to Mysore from Srirangam to work for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Ambujavalli, Vedavalli, and Padmavalli were his three daughters. Vedavalli married Jayaram Rengachary, the son of Narasimhan Rengachary. Jayaram and Vedvalli have two children: Jayakumar, a son, and Jayalalitha, a girl. Ammu was the name given to her by her mother, relatives, and eventually co-stars and friends. Jayalalithaa was given the name Jayalalithaa when she was one year old, to utilise it in schools and universities.
Film Career
Moreover Jayalalithaa was educated in Carnatic music, western classical piano, and different types of classical dance; including Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, Manipuri, and Kathak, in Madras (now Chennai). K.J. Sarasa taught her Bharatnatyam and other dancing forms. Padma Bhushan Guru Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam taught her Kuchipudi. In May 1960, Although she made her debut as a dancer at the Rasika Ranjani Sabha in Mylapore. Shivaji Ganesan, the Chief Guest at the Arangetram, referred to Jayalalithaa as a “thanga silai” (golden statue); and stated his ambition for her to become a movie star in the future.
