Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
Who is Kanimozhi? Interest in the 5-time Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi’s slightly less visible child has peaked after his death.
‘Kanimozhi’ is a Tamil name made up of two words – ‘kani’ which means fruit and ‘mozhi’ which means language. It basically translates to a woman who speaks sweetly, or has a way with words. To put it plainly, it is the perfect name for a woman who has at various times worked as a politician, poet, and journalist.
Kanimozhi has definitely inherited her father’s daughter creative penchant, for M.Karunanidhi himself was a famous writer and politician and was often praised for his silver tongue. Seen as Karunanidhi’s ‘literary heir’ (she is his daughter by wife Rajathi Ammal), Kanimozhi is the chief of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) wing for Art, Literature and Rationalism.
She has done quite a bit while holding this post, including organising work fairs, activities towards women empowerment, working towards the welfare of disabled and transgender people, and coming up with the idea of the Chennai Sangamam, a yearly open Tamil cultural festival. She also assumed office as a Rajya Sabha MP on 25th July, 2013.
But even before she became a politician, she did impressive work as a Tamil poet and a journalist. She even worked as a sub-editor for The Hindu for a while. Her professional success is something that one cannot miss.
It wasn’t all unicorns and rainbows though – she was accused in the 2G spectrum case only to be acquitted on 21st December, 2017. But the damage to her reputation had been done, and the episode will likely provide ammunition for her detractors in the future too.
She is flawed, like any other human being. But at a time when there are testosterone-fuelled verbal wars between Karunanidhi’s sons – M.K.Alagiri and M.K.Stalin – over who should succeed their father, one can’t help but wonder if Kanimozhi is a better choice.
Women politicians in general find it harder to establish themselves firmly in the world of politics because of the inherent patriarchy. But we already have a lady who managed to do that in Tamil Nadu – Jayalalitha or as she was fondly called, Amma. She wasn’t perfect, but she was worth looking up to. Maybe, Kanimozhi will be next. Who can say?
Image source: Rajya Sabha TV
read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
Please enter your email address