Jayalalithaa's Life In Pics
An era ended as J Jayalalithaa was lowered into the ground in a sandalwood casket next to the memorial of her mentor, MG Ramachandran at Chennai's Marina Beach on December 5. The former chief minister was buried with full state honours. Ms Jayalalithaa, 68, died after she suffered a cardiac arrest.
We take a look at Jayalalithaa's journey through the years.
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In pics: JayalalithaaTamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, one of the country's most powerful and popular politicians, died at Chennai's Apollo Hospital at 11:30 pm on December 5, 2016 after suffering a massive cardiac arrest. She was admitted in the hospital for treatment since September 22, 2016. Popularly known as Amma, Jayalalithaa (1948 - 2016) served five terms as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, for over 14 years between 1991 and 2016. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayHer father died when Jayalalithaa was only two-years-old and the family fell into poverty. They moved later to Tamil Nadu where her mother Sandhya ventured into Tamil cinema as an actress. The family saw worse times when Jayalalithaa's older brother Jayakumar died. Seen here in this picture is Jayalalithaa's mother Sandhya. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayIn Chennai, Jayalalithaa studied at the Sacred Heart Matriculation School of Presentation Convent and excelled in academics. With the guidance of her mother and aunt, young Jayalalithaa forayed into films and began acting at the age of 15. Her principal at the convent is said to have had a deep impression on the young Jayalalithaa. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayShe was cast opposite MG Ramachandran, the Tamil superstar who later became the Chief Minister of the state, in a host of movies, including Kavalkaran, Adimai pen, Engal Thangam, Kudiyiruntha Koil, Ragasiya Police 115, Nam Naadu and many others. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayAfter a successful run in films, Jayalalithaa retired from her film career after Nadhiyai Thedi Vandha Kadal in 1980. Some of her popular movies are: Vennira Aadai, Aayirathil Oruvan, Kavalkaran, Pudhiya Boomi, Iru Deivangal, Nadhiyai Thedi Vandha Kadal. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayIn 1972, she was honoured by the Tamil Nadu government with the award Kalaimamani. These awards are given by the Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Manram(literature, music and theatre) for excellence in the field of art and literature. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayJayalalithaa was a voracious reader and read practically everything. Her favourite authors were Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and, among others, Oscar Wilde, Bernard Shaw, Sidney Sheldon, Danielle Steel, Pearl S Buck and James Hadley Chase. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayEven as an actress, she would always carry books with her to the studio, and would sit quietly by herself in a corner and read in between shots. She had a large private library with a huge collection of books. She was thoroughly impressed by Wild Swans, one of her favourite reads. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayJayalalithaa never married, but she remained with her long-time partner, actor MG Ramachandran (popularly known as MGR), until his death in 1987. It was MGR who initiated Jayalalithaa into politics. He was then the Chief Minister of the state. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayFollowing MGR's death, Jayalalithaa took over the All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagham (AIADMK), but was alienated by a faction of the party that chose to support MGR's wife Janaki Ramachandran. But due to the poor electoral performance of the Janaki Ramachandran-led faction, Jayalalitha later took over the leadership of the party. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayThe DMK was the only dominant force in Tamil Nadu's politics at that time and Jayalalithaa ensured that she became a force to reckon with. Drawing on her massive popularity, in 1989, she won the elections to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly - becoming the first woman to be elected Leader of the Opposition. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayAround the same time, she charged a DMK leader, Durai Murugan, with assault. She said he had tried to pull her sari when she obstructed then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi while he was presenting the 1990 state budget. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayIn 1991, following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in Tamil Nadu, her alliance with the Congress party propelled the coalition to a massive victory. She was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly and became the first elected woman chief minister of Tamil Nadu, serving the full tenure. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayDue to an anti-incumbency wave, and several allegations of corruption and malfeasance against her and her ministers, she lost power to the DMK in 1996. However, she returned to power with a huge majority in the 2001 elections, having mustered a bigger coalition and defying many pre-poll predictions. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayDuring the years out of power, she had to face a number of criminal lawsuits related to her first-term rule, mostly dealing with embezzlement and monetary fraud. In 2001, a specially designated court convicted her of criminal breach of trust and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayHowever, having led her party to victory, she controversially became the Chief Minister as a non-elected member of the assembly and in 2003 the Supreme Court acquitted her in the specific case for lack of conclusive evidence to convict her. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayHer major legislative achievements include banning of high interest private loans, completion of New Veeranam Water Supply Scheme for Chennai, elimination of the bandit Veerappan, introduction of video conferencing in Jails and Courts, thus eliminating the need to physically bring the accused to court to extend the parole or remand every time. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayThere was also much controversy when police raided her premises and claimed to have found large quantities of diamond-studded gold jewellery, more than 10,000 saris and 750 pairs of shoes, exposing an extravagant lifestyle. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayThroughout her political career, Jayalalithaa had faced a number of court cases, mostly over corruption allegations. She was in news also for her long-running political rivalry with DMK leader and incumbent Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M Karunanidhi. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayIn 1992, Chandralekha, an Indian Administrative Service officer and the chairperson of state owned Industrial Development Corporation was brutally assaulted on the roads of Chennai, and acid was thrown at her face. It had been alleged that this was due to her refusal to toe Jayalalithaa's line in the affair of disinvestment in SPIC, a joint sector company.(Source Wikipedia) -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayIn 2002, activists from the National Human Rights Council shouted slogans and protested against Jayalalithaa's remarks aimed at Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, when Jayalalithaa called for a law banning people of foreign origin from becoming prime minister or assuming other high offices. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayAfter losing the 2006 Assembly elections, Jayalalithaa decided not to attend the assembly except if 'absolutely necessary'. However she, by virtue of her strong control over her party, was considered to be the de-facto leader of the opposition in the state. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayAwards: In 1991, the University of Madras honoured her by conferring the degree of Doctor of Literature. In 1992, the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University conferred the degree of Doctor of Science on her. In 1993, the Madurai Kamaraj University conferred the degree of Doctor of Letters on her. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayIn 2003, the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University conferred the degree of Doctor of Science on her and the Bharathidasan University conferred the degree of Doctor of Letters on her. She received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws conferred on her by The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Chennai in 2005. Seen here with Microsoft Chairman, Bill Gates. -
In pics: Jayalalithaa's green 64th birthdayFamous quote: 'One-third of my life was dominated by my mother, the other part - a major one - was dominated by MGR. Two-thirds of my life is thus over. One third remains and this part of my life remains for myself but there are some responsibilities and duties to be fulfilled'. -
J Jayalalithaa's Life In PicsIn September 2014, J Jayalalithaa was convicted in a disproportionate assets case which meant her disqualification from office. Massive protests erupted throughout the state. O Panneerselvam replaced her as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. -
J Jayalalithaa's Life In PicsOn May 11, 2015, fireworks and celebrations filled the air outside the former Chief Minister's home in Chennai, where top AIADMK leaders showed up within minutes of the verdict which acquitted her. She said she had 'emerged as pure tested gold'.
