Muthulakshmi Reddi Biography - Birth date, Achievements, Career, Family, Awards

Muthulakshmi Reddy was born on 30 July 1886 in Madras (British India). His father's name was S. Narayanaswamy Iyer and mother's name was Chandramal. His father S Narayan Swamy was the principal of Maharaja College in Chennai and mother was Devadasi.

Muthulakshmi Reddy died on 22 July 1968 (age 81).

Muttulakshmi had to face many difficulties to study since childhood. His father S. Narayanaswamy was the Principal of Maharaja College, Chennai. But Muttulakshmi's mother Chandramai sent her to study despite the taunts of the society. She too did not disappoint the parents and became the first female doctor in the country.

Muthulakshmi was the first woman to enroll in a men's college and study in a medical college. After joining Madras Medical College, he befriended Annie Besant and Sarojini Naidu, whose names are recorded in Indian history. She also became the first female house surgeon of the Government Maternity and Eye Hospital in Madras. In the year 1918, she helped to establish the "Union of Women of India". Muthu also had the distinction of becoming the first woman MLA in the country from the Madras Legislative Council in 1927. His book My Experience as an MLA recounts his initiatives in relation to the social reforms he has taken in the Madras Legislature. During his address at the 1935 Centenary celebrations, he expressed his desire to start a hospital for cancer patients. The foundation of the Adyar Cancer Institute was laid in 1952 by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The hospital was the second of its kind in India to start functioning on 18 June 1954. It treats about 80,000 cancer patients a year.