2019-07-30 Tue

Muthulakshmi Reddy, a distinguished medical professional, and a social reformer was born on 30th July 1886. She was a first female legislature in India.

Born in the Princely State of Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu, Muthulakshmi was an eminent medical practitioner and Padma Bhushan Awardee. Her exemplary achievements are being the first woman to work as a surgeon in a government hospital in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu Government has decided to celebrate her birth date as Hospital Day in her memory.

She joined the Madras Legislative Council later becoming the first woman in British India to achieve this feat. For her, this nomination marked the beginning of her lifelong effort to correct the balance for women by removing social abuses and working for equality in moral standards.

In 1954, she opened the Cancer Institute in Chennai. She was also the founder of the Women's Indian Association, which she co-founded in 1918. Working for the upliftment of women and battling gender inequality, came under the influence of Annie Besant, and then of Mahatma Gandhi.

In the memory of Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy- “A woman of many first”, India Postal Department has issued first-day cover.

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