Sathyavani Muthu, circa 1971. | Photo Credit: Hindu Archives
On Sunday, nine ministers were sworn in alongside Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam leader C. Joseph Vijay as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Among them was Keerthana, who won from the Sivakasi Assembly constituency, the first woman from the Legislative Assembly there. While social media went into overdrive and falsely claimed that she was the first female cabinet member, the truth is far from the truth.
Women have been serving as ministers in the Tamil Nadu cabinet for a long time. Even before India gained independence, a female minister was included in the cabinet formed in the then Madras Presidency. In the first Madras Presidency elections held under the Government of India Act 1935, the Congress party won and formed a government led by C. Rajagopalachari. No women were included in this cabinet. This cCabinet resigned on 30 October 1939. Thereafter Governor’s rule continued until 30 April 1946.
After the end of World War II, elections were held again and on April 30, 1946, a new cabinet headed by T. Prakasam was sworn in. Rukmini Laxmipathi, a freedom fighter, was included in this cabinet. This was the first time a woman was included in the cabinet in the Madras Presidency. She was assigned the portfolios of public health and medicine. However, the cabinet led by T. Prakasam lasted only one year. This cabinet resigned on 23 March 1947.
After India became a republic, no women were included in the cabinet formed under C. Rajagopalachari on 10 April 1952 after the first general election. However, when the cabinet was reshuffled on 9 October 1953, Jothi Venkatachalam was inducted along with M. Bhaktavatsalam and K. Rajaram. Mrs. Jothi Venkatachalam served as Minister until April 1954. After that, when a new cabinet was formed under K. Kamaraja, no women were included.
In the following general elections, the Congress party won again and on April 13, 1957, a cabinet was formed under the leadership of K. Kamaraj. Lourdammal Simon was included as a minister in this cabinet. After winning the election from Colachel constituency in Kanyakumari district, she was given the portfolio of local administration. The Hindu of April 13, 1957 noted: “On April 12, Mr. K. Kamaraj called on the Governor of Madras, Mr. AJ John, at the Raj Bhavan and submitted the following list of eight names of members of his new Cabinet: Mr. K. Kamaraj, Mr. M. Bhaktavatsalam, Mr. R. Venkataraman, Mr. P. Kakkan, Mr. V. Ramiah and Smt. Lourdammal Simon The seven new ministers will be sworn in at 12 noon on April 13 and the other, Mr. Venkataraman, will be sworn in later.”
In 1967, when the DMK first formed the government, Satyavani Muthu was inducted as Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare in the cabinet headed by CN Annadurai. After his demise, Satyavani Muthu also served in both the Cabinets formed under M. Karunanidhi.
In all governments formed after that, at least one woman was included as a minister. After MGR’s departure, when his wife Janaki Ramachandran served briefly as Chief Minister; she was the only woman in that cabinet. Subsequently, in the 1991 general elections, R. Indirakumari was included as a minister in the cabinet formed by Jayalalithaa after her victory. Since then, women have been continuously part of Tamil Nadu Cabinets.
Published – May 13, 2026 0:59 AM IST
