Jayalalithaa Jayaram, also known as J. Jayalalithaa or simply Jayalalithaa, was a prominent Indian politician and film actress who served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India, on several occasions. She was born on February 24, 1948 in Melukote, Mysore, Karnataka, India to Jayaram and Vedavalli.
Jayalalithaa's father, Jayaram, was a lawyer and her mother, Vedavalli, was a housewife. She was the youngest of three children and had two older brothers. Despite her family's background in law, Jayalalithaa pursued a career in acting and made her film debut at the age of 15. She quickly became a popular actress in the Tamil film industry and appeared in over 140 films.
In the early 1980s, Jayalalithaa entered politics and joined the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), a political party in Tamil Nadu. She rose through the ranks of the party and became a close aide to the party's founder and leader, M.G. Ramachandran, also known as MGR. After MGR's death in 1987, Jayalalithaa was elected as the leader of the AIADMK and became the first woman to hold that position.
In 1991, Jayalalithaa was elected as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, becoming the first woman to hold that position in the state. She served as Chief Minister on several occasions, with her most recent term ending in 2016. During her tenure, she implemented various social welfare schemes and initiatives, including free distribution of laptops and tablets to students, free rice for poor families, and healthcare initiatives.
Jayalalithaa faced several legal challenges and corruption charges during her political career, but she remained a popular and influential figure in Tamil Nadu. She passed away on December 5, 2016, leaving a legacy as a trailblazing female leader in Indian politics.