Erode Venkatappa Ramasami Maniammai (10 March 1917 – 16 March 1978) was a Dravidian

social activist Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make Social change, changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from ...

and politician. She was the second wife of

Periyar Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (17 September 187924 December 1973), commonly known as Periyar, was an Indian social activist and politician. He was the organizer of the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam and is considered the architect o ...

and succeeded him as the president of the

Dravidar Kazhagam Dravidar Kazhagam is a social movement founded by E. V. Ramasamy, 'Periyar' E. V. Ramasamy. Its original goals were to eradicate the ills of the existing caste and class system including untouchability and on a grander scale to obtain a "Dra ...

upon his death in 1973.

Biography

Maniammai was born as Kanthimathi to Kanagasabai Mudaliar, who was a member of the Justice Party. Soon after her father's death, she joined the

founded by

in 1942–1943. Sources close to Periyar had indicated that Maniyammai, being a woman, could not be named his heir. So he took to the recourse of marrying her so that she could become his legal heir. His marriage with a much younger Maniammai and his appointment of her as his successor shocked many of his party leaders.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maniammai, Annai E. V. R Indian rationalists 1917 births 1978 deaths Indian reformers Indian social reformers Periyar E. V. Ramasamy