Ammu Swaminathan

Ammu Swaminadhan
Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) for Dindigul
In office 1951–1957
Prime Minister	Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
Preceded by	None
Personal details
Born	1894
Died	1978 Palghat district
Nationality	Indian
Political party	Indian National Congress
Spouse(s)	Dr. Subbarama Swaminathan
Profession	Politician
Religion	Hindu

Ammu Swaminadhan (1894–1978) was an Indian social worker and a prominent political activist during the Indian independence movement. After independence, she served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and later, as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Madras State. She was the matriarch of a family that includes people of such diverse fame as Captain Lakshmi, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Mallika Sarabhai and Subhashini Ali.

Ammu Swaminadhan was born to Govinda Menon in Palghat district of Kerala. She was the youngest child of her parents. At 13, she married Dr. Subbarama Swaminadhan, a distinguished barrister of Madras and a remarkable man in many ways. Subbarama studied at Edinburgh and London Universities before obtaining a doctorate in law from the prestigious Harvard University. Ammu's life transformed after her marriage to Dr. Swaminadhan who was more than 20 years her senior. She had four children, two daughters Lakshmi and Mrinalini, and two sons, Govinda and Subbarama.

She took active part in India's struggle for independence and became a close disciple (though not uncritical) of Mahatma Gandhi^{[citation needed]}. She was elected a Member of Parliament in 1952 and was associated with many cultural and social organizations. She went to Ethiopia, China, USA and USSR as a goodwill ambassador.^{[citation needed]}

She served as President of the Bharat Scouts and Guides from November 1960 to March 1965.^{[citation needed]}

She was also selected as 'Mother of The Year' in 1975 on the inauguration of International Women's Year.^{[citation needed]}

Preceded by Mangal Das Pakvasa

Presidents of the Bharat Scouts and Guides 1960–1965

Succeeded by Justice Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Sinha

External links

• http://www.bsgindia.org/