Muthulakshmi Reddy: India’s 1st Woman Legislator & Madras’ 1st Woman Doctor

Born in 1886 in the princely state of Pudukkottai, Muthulakshmi Reddy had it written in her destiny to challenge societal norms and pave the way for women in education, medicine, and politics. As the daughter of S. Narayanaswamy Iyer, a college principal, and Chandrammal, a woman from the Isai Vellalar community, her very birth was an intersection of caste and gender disparities. Despite the extreme societal resistance that she faced during that time, she went on to become the first female medical graduate in the Madras Presidency and the first woman legislator in British India.

Her Early Years

From a young age, Muthulakshmi began displaying exceptional intellect. Impressed by this, her father encouraged her to pursue education despite the prevailing restrictions on women during that time period. At 13, she passed the Lower Secondary Public Examination but was pressured to leave school after reaching puberty. However, her will remained undeterred as she continued learning at home and later passed the Matriculation Examination in 1902.

When she applied to the Maharajah’s College for further education, she had to face further resistance, as the principal feared that her presence would 'demoralize' the male students. However, the progressive Maharajah of Pudukkottai dismissed these concerns and granted her admission, making her the first female student at the college.

Muthulakshmi had set her mind to study medicine, so she joined the Madras Medical College in 1907. She swiftly caught the attention of Colonel Gifford, a senior professor, who was so impressed by her dedication that he opened his lectures to all female students. In 1912, she graduated with honours, becoming the first woman medical graduate in the Madras Presidency. Recognizing her achievements, Colonel Gifford appointed her as a House Surgeon, a role which had never been held by a woman before.

While working as a house surgeon, Muthulakshmi was drawn to social reform. She resisted marriage for years, recalling in her memoir, “I had even then set my heart upon something high, and I wanted to be a different woman from the common lot.” However, at 28, she agreed to marry Dr. D.T. Sandara Reddi, setting conditions that he would always treat her as an equal.

A Voice For Women In Medicine & Politics 

Muthulakshmi’s interactions with Sarojini Naidu and her involvement with the Women’s Indian Association (WIA) increased her commitment to women’s rights. She handled multiple roles as a medical professional, social reformer, as well as a legislator. In 1925, she earned a scholarship to study women’s and children’s diseases in England and later got a chance to represent India at the Paris International Congress of Women, as well.

In 1926, she was nominated to the Madras Legislative Council, becoming British India’s first woman legislator. Though hesitant at first, she accepted the nomination, with a will in her heart to be a voice for the women of India. “I was neither a politician nor was I interested in politics except what directly concerned women’s life,” she later wrote.

During her tenure, she underlined how the schools had become overcrowded and that there was a lack of trained women teachers, emphasizing that only Madras and Punjab had women deputy directors overseeing education. She also advocated for maternity healthcare, arguing for the appointment of female medical officers in hospitals, as “most female patients preferred to be attended to by women practitioners, both during prenatal and postnatal care.”

Muthulakshmi was also not in support of oppressive traditions like the purdah system and the devadasi system. She introduced a bill in 1927 to abolish the temple dedication of devadasis, to provide them with dignified lives. She also took several steps against the exploitation of prostitutes and challenged the patriarchal misconception, stating that the term ‘prostitute’ should apply to both men and women. 

Notedly, Muthulakshmi opposed reserved seats for women, asserting, “Unless we have chosen women of character, grit, and courage to occupy places of honour and responsibility, women cannot help to achieve much."

Being a non-Brahmin herself, she understood how caste and gender oppression intersected. She believed that empowering women as well as the lower castes equally was crucial to dismantling social hierarchies. 

Muthulakshmi Reddy redefined the role of women in colonial India, breaking barriers in both medicine and politics. Her legacy continues to inspire generations of women striving for education, equality, and justice.