‘Amma’ To Millions, Dies At 68

The US and several other countries on Tuesday condoled the death of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

The final journey of the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa started from Rajaji Bhavan and ended at the Marina Beach where the iconic leader was buried next to her mentor, MG Ramachandran.

Jayalalithaa’s body was earlier kept inside Rajaji Hall for the public to pay their last respects.

The southern state had been tense since Sunday after reports that her health had worsened and she had been put on life support.

In New Delhi, lawmakers observed a minute’s silence Tuesday before both houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day in respect for the woman whom many referred to as “Amma“, or mother.

The late Jayalalithaa was dressed in a green sari – green was the leader’s favourite and lucky colour.

Panneerselvam has previously served as chief minister of Tamil Nadu from 2001 to 2002, when Jayalalithaa was barred from holding political office by the Supreme Court.

The 68-year-old Jayalalithaa breathed her last at 11.30 p.m. on Monday after cardiac arrest at Apollo Hospitals, where she had been admitted on September 22.

Earlier, the Prime Minister, who arrived here by a special flight, was received at the airport by Governor Vidyasagar Rao.

Jayalalithaa died here on Monday night after battling for life for 74 long days, triggering huge grief across the sprawling state.

Noting that Ms Jayalalithaa became the youngest Chief Minister of her state, he said, “During that time, the “cradle baby scheme”, which she implemented to counter female infanticide and save the girl child, was appreciated from all quarters”.

Despite it being long past midnight, hundreds of people had lined the streets around the hospital to catch a last glimpse of the woman they called “Amma“. “But I think when you take the whole picture and when you weigh what she did for the people, I think the people were willing to accept it”. But her critics condemned her as a corrupt figure who manipulated the system and saw herself as above the law.

Most shops and restaurants reopened on Wednesday as the city began returning to normal, although schools and colleges will remain closed for another two days.

“She made sure I got the operation I needed”.

In 1991, she came back like a phoenix and become the CM of Tamil Nadu defeating DMK.