A lot of my friends have always
wondered why I am such an ardent fan of Jayalalithaa or ‘Amma’ as she is fondly
referred to. She has been and always will be a role model to me. The first time
I heard her name was during my School project in 4th grade. We were
given an assignment on listing out all the Indian States and the respective Chief
Ministers. It was the year 1991 and during those days the only source of
information was newspapers and books in library. I was surprised on hearing her
name and my next question to my parents were is she the Tamil actress whose
movies you watch. The instant reply was a big ‘yes’. For a fourth grader who is
studying in another country, it came as a surprise that an actress can become a
politician. My inquisitiveness got the best of me and I wanted to know how
could an actress rule a state and take decisions. My parents could not handle
the questions that I kept coming up with and considering I was an avid reader
and book lover; they got me a book which briefed on India and on the political
scenario.
At that age, I never realized she
and Indira Gandhi had taken a role in a male dominant society. Over the years I
realized that she had been fighting and proving herself in a male chauvinist world,
where people could stoop as low as possible to tarnish a women’s image. She
ensured people realized that she is not just an eye candy, but a woman with
substance, who is there to stay.
With no family to lean on, no
support from anyone and surrounded by vultures who were eagerly waiting to see
her downfall, she was headstrong. She chose to stand for the people who had
voted her and did not care one bit on all the allegations that kept coming up
against her. Today every single women admires her for her boldness. The same
people who had insulted her in public and called her names address her with
respectful titles.
She will always be my role model
and to all the women out there who are fighting their own battles
With a heavy heart I
say, you will be missed Amma!!!!
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