Stories
From Hospital to Legislature: Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy, India's First Female Legislator & Social Reformer
N
News18•20-09-2026, 18:51
From Hospital to Legislature: Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy, India's First Female Legislator & Social Reformer
- •Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy became the first woman to enter the legislature, changing Indian constitutional history.
- •She broke barriers in male-dominated political systems to use power and law as tools for social change.
- •Spearheaded legal battles against child marriage, denial of education, and the Devadasi system.
- •Established 'Avvai Home' to provide livelihoods for affected women, empowering them as doctors and teachers.
- •Founded the Adyar Cancer Institute in 1954, achieving milestones like Asia's first high-voltage radiation therapy facility.
Key Questions Answered
During 1926–27, she was nominated by the Governor to the Madras Legislative Council, the upper house at the time, making her the country's first female Member of the Legislative Council and later its Deputy Chairperson.
She spearheaded legal battles against several cruel and oppressive practices, including child marriage, the denial of education, and the Devadasi system.
Founded by Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy in 1954 after she resigned from her legislative position, the Adyar Cancer Institute achieved major milestones such as housing Asia's first high-voltage radiation therapy facility and the country's first pediatric cancer center.
