PERSONAL INFORMATION
Real Name: Jayalalithaa Jayaram
Nickname: Jaya and Amma
Profession: Politician (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)) and Former Actress
Date of Birth: 24 February 1948
Age (as in 2016): 68 Years
Zodiac sign/Sun sign: Pisces
Nationality: Indian
Hometown: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Religion: Hindu
EDUCATION
School: Bishop Cotton Girls High School, Bengaluru Presentation Convent Church Park, Chennai
College: Stella Maris College in Chennai
Educational Qualifications: Not Known
PHYSICAL STATISTICS
Height: in centimeters- 155 cm in meters- 1.55 m in Feet Inches- 5′ 1″
Weight: in Kilograms- 78 Kg in Pounds- 172 lbs
Figure Measurements: 37-36-37
Eye Colour: Black
Hair Colour: Black
FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS
Family: Father – Late Jayaram (Lawyer) Mother – Late Vedavathi (Sandhya) Sister – Shailaja Brother – Late Jaya Kumar and N.J. Vasudevan (Step-brother)
Marital Status: Unmarried
Affairs/Boyfriends: Sobhan Babu (Actor) M.G. Ramachandran (Actor)
Husband: N/A
Children: Daughter – N/A Son – V.N. Sudhakaran (Foster son)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Debut: Film Debut: Epistle (1961, Child artist) Film Debut: Chinnada Gombe (1964, Lead actress)
MONEY FACTOR
Net Worth: 117 Crore (INR)
OTHER INFORMATION
Political Journey: 1982: Entered politics by becoming a member of the AIADMK. 1984: Became the member of the Rajya Sabha. 1989: Elected as a member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. 1989: Elected as the General Secretary of the united AIADMK. 1991: Became the youngest Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (aged 43). 2001: Became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the 2nd time, till September 2001. 2002: Continued her position as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu till 2006. 2011: Became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the 4th time. 2014: Stepped-down from the post of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after a case of disproportionate assets in Karnataka and corruption case, and was sentenced for 4 years with a fine of 100 crore (INR). 2015: Won the case and sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the 5th time. 2016: Became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the 26th time.
Date of Death: 5 December 2016 in Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Death Cause: Heart Attack
Birth Place: Mandya district, Mysore, Karnataka
Hobbies: Reading
Favourite Authors: Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, Bernard Shaw, Sidney Sheldon, Danielle Steel, Pearl S Buck, James Hadley Chase and Somerset Maugham
INTERESTING BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Jayalalithaa, originally named Komalavalli, emerged as one of the most influential figures in Tamil Nadu’s political and cultural landscape. Born into a family marked by early loss, her father passed away when she was just two years old, and her brother later died in the 1990s. Despite these challenges, she demonstrated extraordinary talent from a young age, beginning her rigorous training in Bharatnatyam at the tender age of three. Her academic prowess shone through as she enrolled in Stella Maris College in Chennai to study law, although her mother had aspirations for her to enter the film industry. Ultimately, Jayalalithaa embarked on her cinematic journey, marking her debut in the film world at just 15 years old with an ‘adult only’ film, a release that barred her from watching her own work on the big screen.
During her illustrious career as a South Indian film actress, Jayalalithaa captivated audiences with her performances in a remarkable total of 140 films across Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu languages. Her cinematic journey began with the English film *Epistle* at the age of 13, showcasing her versatility as a trained dancer in various styles, including Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Mohiniyattam, and Manipuri. Her talent was recognized with three Filmfare Awards for Best Actress in 1973, celebrated for notable films such as *Pattikada Pattanama*, *Suryakanthi*, and *Sri Krishna Satya*. She even ventured into Hindi cinema with the film *Izzat*, where she starred opposite Dharmendra. However, her illustrious film career concluded with her last Tamil film, *Thedi Vandha Kadala*, in 1980.
Transitioning from the silver screen to the political arena, Jayalalithaa made her mark as a formidable leader, serving as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu a record six times between 1991 and 2016. She was the second woman to hold this esteemed position, following V. N. Janaki. Known for her frugality, she famously took a salary of just one rupee as Chief Minister. Alongside her political duties, she was an avid reader with an extensive collection of books, further illustrating her multifaceted personality. Her influential status extended beyond politics; she even earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for hosting the largest wedding reception, spending around three crore INR on her foster son Sudhagaran’s wedding, which drew over 150,000 guests across a sprawling 50-acre area in Chennai.
Jayalalithaa’s life took a tragic turn when she succumbed to a heart attack on December 5, 2016, after a prolonged battle with infection and acute dehydration, which lasted 74 days in Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. Her passing marked the end of an era and left a profound impact on the political landscape of Tamil Nadu. In a controversial episode following her hospitalization, a video surfaced in December 2017, showing her weak and unwell, released by former MLA P. Vetrivel, raising questions about her health and the political dynamics surrounding her legacy. Despite her tumultuous life, Jayalalithaa remains an iconic figure, remembered as a passionate leader and a talented artist who left an indelible mark on both cinema and politics in India.
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Note: All biographical information compiled from publicly available sources.