Watch: A Google doodle remembers India's first woman legislator, Muthulakshmi Reddi
July 30, 2019 marks the 133rd birth anniversary of this extraordinary woman.
The Google doodle for Monday, July 30. features Dr Muthulakshmi Reddi, the first woman legislator of India, to mark her 133rd birth anniversary.
Born in 1886 in Tamil Nadu’s Pudukottai, Reddi was the first woman in her town to opt for higher education – at the Madras Medical College. She graduated to become one of the first women medical practitioners in India. Reddi also accomplished the feat of being the first Indian woman to become a member of a legislative council, when she was elected vice-president of the Madras Legislative Council in 1918.
Reddi is known for championing many social reforms for women. One of them was the abolition of the Devadasi system, a practice that “dedicated” a woman to the service of a deity or a temple for life. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award of the government of India, in 1956.
To honour Reddi’s efforts, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to mark July 30 as annual “Hospital Day” in the state, The Hindu reported.