Sister R. S. Subbalakshmi (sometimes spelled Subbulakshmi or Subhalakshmi) (18 August 1886 – 20 December 1969), was a social reformer and educationist in India.
Subbalakshmi was born at the remote Thanjavur village of Rishiyur,[1] the other view was Mylapore in Madras[2] as the first daughter of Visalakshi and R. V. Subramania Iyer (a civil engineer. Her father, R.V. Subramania Iyer was employed in the Public Works Department of the Madras Presidency),.[3] They belonged to an orthodox Tamil Brahmin family from the Thanjavur district. Subbalakshmi was ranked first in the public examination in the Chingleput District, for the fourth standard of the Madras Presidency at the age of nine.[4] She was married while very young, as was customary, but her husband died soon after.[5] In April 1911, she became the first Hindu woman to graduate from the Madras Presidency[6] and she did this with First Class Honors from Presidency College, Madras.[7]
Workedit
Young Subbalakshmi
In 1912, she founded the Sarada Ladies Union to provide a meeting ground and platform for housewives and other ladies to promote consciousness among them regarding social problems and to encourage them to educate themselves and the Sarada Illam or Widow's Home,[7] which rehabilitated and educated child widows in Madras.[7] Later, in 1921 [8] or 1927, she established the Sarada Vidyalaya under the aegis of the Sarada Ladies Union.[7] In 1922 she inaugurated the Lady Willingdon Training College and Practice School and was its first principal.[9] She also established the Srividya Kalanilayam, a school for adult women at Mylapore in 1942,[10] and while she was the president of the Mylapore Ladies Club, she formed the Mylapore Ladies Club School Society, in 1956, which was then renamed as the Vidya Mandir School, in Mylapore.[7][11] In addition, she was involved in setting up a social welfare center for women and children in Madambakkam village. near Tambaram, in 1954.[12]
While she was in government service as Headmistress of the Lady Willingdon Training College and Superintendent of the Ice House Hostel, Subbalakshmi was prohibited from joining the Women's Indian Association.[9] To keep her school running Subbalakshmi compromised on her beliefs and efforts against child marriage. Nevertheless, using her fluency in Tamil, she made efforts to abolish child marriage and to encourage education of girls. The historic, first conference, of the then newly established All India Women's Conference, called the "All India Women's Conference on Educational Reform", was held at the Fergusson College, Poona in January 1927.[15] Subbalakshmi was one of the fifty eight prominent delegates attending this meeting.[15][16] She actively supported the Child Marriage Restraint Act, passed in 1930, and appeared before the Joshi committee[9][17] which formulated the Act instrumental in raising the marriageable age of girls to fourteen and boys to sixteen. After retirement, she was involved in the activities of the Women's Indian Association, through which she befriended Annie Besant and others. She served as a nominated member of the Madras Legislative Council from 1952 to 1956.[18]
Deathedit
Subbulakshmi died on 20 December 1969 on an Ekadashi Day.[19]
^Felton, Monica (2003). A Child Widow's Story. Katha. pp. 13, 14. ISBN81-87649-91-7.
^The Who's who in Madras: ... A pictorial who's who of distinguished personages, princes, zemindars and noblemen in the Madras Presidency. Pearl Press. 1940. p. 247.
^Ramanathan, Malathi (1989). Sister R.S.Subbalakshmi,Social Reformer and Educationist. Bombay: Lok Vangmaya Griha. p. 11.
^Felton, Monica (2003). A Child Widow's Story. Katha. p. 36. ISBN81-87649-91-7.
^"Madras Musings - We care for Madras that is Chennai".
^ abcdeRamanathan, Malathi (1989). Sister R.S.Subbalakshmi, Social Reformer and Educationist. Bombay: Lok Vangmaya Griha. pp. 24–26.
^ abcForbes, Geraldine (2006) [1996]. Women in Modern India. Vol. 4 (Reprinted ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 57–60. ISBN978-0-521-65377-0.
^Ramanathan, Malathi (1989). Sister R.S.Subbalakshmi, Social Reformer and Educationist. Bombay: Lok Vangmaya Griha. pp. 91–93.
^Ramanathan, Malathi (1989). Sister R.S.Subbalakshmi, Social Reformer and Educationist. Bombay: Lok Vangmaya Griha. pp. 101–105.
^Ramanathan, Malathi (1989). Sister R.S.Subbalakshmi, Social Reformer and Educationist. Bombay: Lok Vangmaya Griha. p. 123.
^Padma Shri Awardees, Photos of. "Padma Shri Award photo". Government of India. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
^ abRay, Aparna Basu, Bharati (2003). Women's struggle : a history of the All India Women's Conference, 1927–2002 (2nd ed.). New Delhi: Manohar. pp. 23, 213. ISBN978-81-7304-476-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Besant, Annie (2003). Theosophist Magazine January 1927 – March 1927. Kessinger Publishing. pp. 630–633.
^Rappaport, Helen (2001). Encyclopedia of women social reformers. Santa Barbara, Calif. [u.a.]: ABC-CLIO. pp. 652. ISBN978-1-57607-101-4.
^Rajagopalachari, C (1970). "Sahodari Subbalakshmi Sevai: Rajaji's Garland of Praise". Sister Subbalakshmi Ammal First Commemorative Souvenir (Madras Sarada Ladies Union).
Further readingedit
Narayanan, Vasudha (1999). "Brimming with Bhakti, Embodiments of Shakti: Devotees, Deities, Performers, Reformers, and Other Women of Power in the Hindu Tradition". In Sharma, Arvind; Young, Katherine K. (eds.). Feminism and World Religions. SUNY Press. ISBN978-0-7914-4024-7.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to R. S. Subbalakshmi.
December 15, 2023
subbalakshmi, sister, sometimes, spelled, subbulakshmi, subhalakshmi, august, 1886, december, 1969, social, reformer, educationist, india, subbalakshmiborn, 1886, august, 1886mylapore, madras, indiadied20, december, 1969, 1969, aged, madraseducationbotanyalma,. Sister R S Subbalakshmi sometimes spelled Subbulakshmi or Subhalakshmi 18 August 1886 20 December 1969 was a social reformer and educationist in India R S SubbalakshmiBorn 1886 08 18 18 August 1886Mylapore Madras IndiaDied20 December 1969 1969 12 20 aged 83 MadrasEducationBotanyAlma materPresidency College MadrasOccupation s Social reformer educationist Member of Madras Legislative Council Madras PresidencyMovementRehabilitation of child widows through educationAwardsKaiser i Hind award Padma Shree awardWebsitesites wbr google wbr com wbr site wbr sisterrssubbalakshmi wbr Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Work 3 Awards and recognition 4 Political career 5 Death 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksEarly life and education editSubbalakshmi was born at the remote Thanjavur village of Rishiyur 1 the other view was Mylapore in Madras 2 as the first daughter of Visalakshi and R V Subramania Iyer a civil engineer Her father R V Subramania Iyer was employed in the Public Works Department of the Madras Presidency 3 They belonged to an orthodox Tamil Brahmin family from the Thanjavur district Subbalakshmi was ranked first in the public examination in the Chingleput District for the fourth standard of the Madras Presidency at the age of nine 4 She was married while very young as was customary but her husband died soon after 5 In April 1911 she became the first Hindu woman to graduate from the Madras Presidency 6 and she did this with First Class Honors from Presidency College Madras 7 Work edit nbsp Young SubbalakshmiIn 1912 she founded the Sarada Ladies Union to provide a meeting ground and platform for housewives and other ladies to promote consciousness among them regarding social problems and to encourage them to educate themselves and the Sarada Illam or Widow s Home 7 which rehabilitated and educated child widows in Madras 7 Later in 1921 8 or 1927 she established the Sarada Vidyalaya under the aegis of the Sarada Ladies Union 7 In 1922 she inaugurated the Lady Willingdon Training College and Practice School and was its first principal 9 She also established the Srividya Kalanilayam a school for adult women at Mylapore in 1942 10 and while she was the president of the Mylapore Ladies Club she formed the Mylapore Ladies Club School Society in 1956 which was then renamed as the Vidya Mandir School in Mylapore 7 11 In addition she was involved in setting up a social welfare center for women and children in Madambakkam village near Tambaram in 1954 12 Awards and recognition editThe government of the British Raj honoured her with the Kaisar i Hind Gold Medal for Public Service in 1920 citation needed and in 1958 after independence of India the Indian Government awarded her the Padma Shri 13 14 Political career editWhile she was in government service as Headmistress of the Lady Willingdon Training College and Superintendent of the Ice House Hostel Subbalakshmi was prohibited from joining the Women s Indian Association 9 To keep her school running Subbalakshmi compromised on her beliefs and efforts against child marriage Nevertheless using her fluency in Tamil she made efforts to abolish child marriage and to encourage education of girls The historic first conference of the then newly established All India Women s Conference called the All India Women s Conference on Educational Reform was held at the Fergusson College Poona in January 1927 15 Subbalakshmi was one of the fifty eight prominent delegates attending this meeting 15 16 She actively supported the Child Marriage Restraint Act passed in 1930 and appeared before the Joshi committee 9 17 which formulated the Act instrumental in raising the marriageable age of girls to fourteen and boys to sixteen After retirement she was involved in the activities of the Women s Indian Association through which she befriended Annie Besant and others She served as a nominated member of the Madras Legislative Council from 1952 to 1956 18 Death editSubbulakshmi died on 20 December 1969 on an Ekadashi Day 19 References edit About Us Felton Monica 2003 A Child Widow s Story Katha pp 13 14 ISBN 81 87649 91 7 The Who s who in Madras A pictorial who s who of distinguished personages princes zemindars and noblemen in the Madras Presidency Pearl Press 1940 p 247 Ramanathan Malathi 1989 Sister R S Subbalakshmi Social Reformer and Educationist Bombay Lok Vangmaya Griha p 11 Felton Monica 2003 A Child Widow s Story Katha p 36 ISBN 81 87649 91 7 Madras Musings We care for Madras that is Chennai a b c d e Ramanathan Malathi 1989 Sister R S Subbalakshmi Social Reformer and Educationist Bombay Lok Vangmaya Griha pp 24 26 About Us a b c Forbes Geraldine 2006 1996 Women in Modern India Vol 4 Reprinted ed Cambridge Cambridge University Press pp 57 60 ISBN 978 0 521 65377 0 Ramanathan Malathi 1989 Sister R S Subbalakshmi Social Reformer and Educationist Bombay Lok Vangmaya Griha pp 91 93 Ramanathan Malathi 1989 Sister R S Subbalakshmi Social Reformer and Educationist Bombay Lok Vangmaya Griha pp 101 105 Ramanathan Malathi 1989 Sister R S Subbalakshmi Social Reformer and Educationist Bombay Lok Vangmaya Griha p 123 Search Padma Shri Awardee Padma Shri awardees list Retrieved 23 April 2012 Padma Shri Awardees Photos of Padma Shri Award photo Government of India Retrieved 26 April 2012 a b Ray Aparna Basu Bharati 2003 Women s struggle a history of the All India Women s Conference 1927 2002 2nd ed New Delhi Manohar pp 23 213 ISBN 978 81 7304 476 2 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Besant Annie 2003 Theosophist Magazine January 1927 March 1927 Kessinger Publishing pp 630 633 Rappaport Helen 2001 Encyclopedia of women social reformers Santa Barbara Calif u a ABC CLIO pp 652 ISBN 978 1 57607 101 4 Ramanathan Malathi 1986 Sister Subbalakshmi Sister Subbalakshmi Ammal Birth Centenary Souvenir Madras Sarada Ladies Union Rajagopalachari C 1970 Sahodari Subbalakshmi Sevai Rajaji s Garland of Praise Sister Subbalakshmi Ammal First Commemorative Souvenir Madras Sarada Ladies Union Further reading editNarayanan Vasudha 1999 Brimming with Bhakti Embodiments of Shakti Devotees Deities Performers Reformers and Other Women of Power in the Hindu Tradition In Sharma Arvind Young Katherine K eds Feminism and World Religions SUNY Press ISBN 978 0 7914 4024 7 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to R S Subbalakshmi Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title R S Subbalakshmi amp oldid 1185685946, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
