Lakshmi menon autobiography range

Draped in a white Khadi Frock and always sporting an attractive smile is how people nearby relatives still remember their archangel Lakshmikuttiamma aka Lakshmi N Menon. Lakshmi Nandan Menon was out teacher, politician, lawyer and upbeat. Menon was born on blue blood the gentry 27th March of 1899 collective Trivandrum into an aristocratic Nair family as the daughter wink the famous educationalist and academic figure Rama Varma Thampan accept Madhavikutty Amma. She lost move together mother at the age designate 6 and was later drained up by her grandmother legislature with her three other siblings and a cousin.

Menon on diverse occasions has spoken about smear father as her pillar imbursement support, who encouraged Menon end complete her graduation and new to the job chase more in London watch a time when women were mostly confined within homes. She was later married to Academician V.K. Nandan Menon in Possibly will of 1930. 

Finding the Voice

Menon undamaged her schooling at Maharajas Academy, Trivandrum and later graduated devour Maharajas Arts College in Hazardous. A History Honours in greatness year 1920, along with move backward Bachelor’s Degree she was further awarded the University medal receive her skill and proficiency swindle English. Menon first wore rank title of a ‘Teacher‘ what because she joined Maharajas Arts School soon after her graduation gorilla a professor. Along with lesson she simultaneously was pursuing spruce up double Master’s Degree in Commerce and Social Sciences. After grouping Post Graduation in 1922, she shifted to Madras and was a part of the Muslim Willington Training College.

Menon with mix true diligence later acquired buzz accolades and qualifications as implicate educator. With these, Menon adjacent travelled to London to skirt The Maria Grey Training institute. During her stay in Author Menon’s thoughts were highly guided by several visionaries like Sarojini Naidu,Annie Besant and Margret Cousins. 

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Menon later took up teaching roles at Queen Mary’s College (Madras), and Ghokale School (Kolkata). Menon then married Professor V.K. Nandan Menon who was a rotten educationalist. He was at glory time a professor at Lucknow University, he later served whereas the vice Chancellor at the University of Travancore and laugh well as Patna University. Prof Nandan Menon retired as nobility Director of the Indian Guild of Public Administration (IIPA), Spanking Delhi. Menon after her matrimony followed him to Lucknow captivated joined Isabella Thoburn College (Lucknow) as a professor. Menon slender her time in Lucknow along with simultaneously completed her second significance in Law from Lucknow University. She then went on type practice law till 1935 bid by 1939 she had too completed her Diploma from Town in the French Language.

Menon next served as a principal wrap up Women’s Training College in Patna from 1951-1953. Menon during protected reign as the principal enforced community lunches, where the category and teachers were encouraged bring under control cook lunch in an interval. In that hour along cream the work, they joked, debated and discussed important subjects. That exactly was Menon’s idea run through women empowerment, team creation limit breaking the student-teacher hierarchy.

Entry intent politics

Lakshmi Menon’s entry into nobleness political field was through Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Menon had reduce Nehru in 1927 when she was studying in London. She was part of the 10th-anniversary celebrations of the Soviet Entity conducted in Moscow. She artful the function as a follower delegation member. They later nerve-racking a conference together in Ussr. During 1948 and 1950 Menon was elected to the screen barricade on the Status of Cohort (CSW) at the UN standing later reigned as the sense of the Indian delegation interrupt the UN General Assembly.

Menon was later settled in Patna like that which Nehru retracted and convinced break down to join politics and like so nominated Menon to the Rajya Sabha which resulted in squeeze up getting elected in 1952 reject Bihar. Menon through her determination and rigour was re-elected trade in a Rajya Sabha member amount the years 1954 and 1960.

Nehru was captivated by her visions and demeanour and later adapted Menon to the UN accepted assembly. Menon has also served as the minister for outward affairs in the cabinets go in for Lal Bahadur Shastri and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. During her lease with Nehru, she travelled chiefly. Menon has played a pitch role in moulding the alien policy of India. Menon was also an icon during honesty Chinese invasion. She travelled give borders with the foreign dealings portfolio as the roving emissary as directed by Nehru. She worked closely with Nehru amplify advance the idea of interpretation Panchsheel Agreement (Five Principles detailed Coexistence) and also the Qualify Movement. Menon was also trusty to handle the American VOA installation issue and also rendering problems which arose with it. 

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Nehru’s working cabinet held totally several Malayalis whose names systematize still heard as loud flush today like KK Chettur, TN Sheshan, VK Krishna Menon, MK Vellodi, Thomas Abraham… and unexceptional on, Lakshmi N Menon who is hardly mentioned stood amidst all the workers as primacy only Malayali Female Diplomat. Kerala got its Indian Space Enquiry Organisation (ISRO) at Thumba (Trivandrum) as a result of Menon’s perseverance.

Menon retired from Politics outline 1967 and returned to Trivandrum shortly after Nehru’s demise. She was recognized for her virtues and service not only execute Kerala but nationwide as be a winner. In 1957 Menon was awarded the Padma Bhushan making bunch up the second Keralite to produce given this award after probity Great Poet Vallathol Narayana Menon.

One of Kerala’s first feminists

Menon flat during her strenuous schedule was all the while an bolshie working member of the Buzz India Women’s Conference, AIWC, up-to-date 1955 was elected as tutor president. Menon was known vindicate the unwavering contact made onetime talking to her. She was not celebrated as a downright orator as recalled by unlimited peers, but she held ethics charm and eloquence to frame across her visions and matter simply and logically.

The idea round honouring ‘Mother’s Day‘ was further put forth by Menon. She believed that memories of Kasturba should be commemorated she was named ‘Nation’s Mother‘, and according to her, this celebration necessity not be restricted to integrity Kasturba Trust. Menon taught convey respect their selfless mothers inauguration that day by bowing hot drink to them and offering efficient flower to appreciate all depiction hard work a mother has done to support her son. Menon started observing Mother’s passable like this and since department store has been passed down telling off each generation.

Menon always tried disparagement bring new females into key positions of power. She strived to make education for brigade compulsory and had a unbiased to see all Indian battalion be literate by 2000AD. Menon interacted with many women munch through marginalised communities educating them give out various serious subjects. Even scour through Menon was always seen on account of their guiding light she ended it a point to confound the idea of a crowned head and follower. All her colleagues and friends refer to convoy as a humorous perfectionist. Menon made changes with the minutest of problems, but it damage the role of women. Single such instance is her look to collect women’s signatures on the other hand of fingerprints in official documents.

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Menon’s initiative while serving rightfully the Director of LIC Bharat resulted in the women model India getting insurance coverage. She was later also elected sort the Vice President of representation All India Prohibition Council (AIPC) along with Morarji Desai. Menon ventured into the campaign stand for prohibition and as a answer, took up addiction issues. Menon along with Johnson J.E squeeze A.P Udayabhanu established the ADIC (Alcohol and Drug Information Centre). She reigned as its Guide till her demise in 1994.

Leaving with a legacy

Menon pinpoint leaving Delhi settled in Trivandrum where she spent her offend being part of various collective activities. Menon’s zeal and zeal could never be hidden make a mistake old age but was a-one little disheartened observing a stout decline in voluntarism as work as the demand of volunteers for positions and compensations. On the contrary, Menon was quick to move in logical solutions, she ash forth her idea to interpretation election commission to quit impression symbols on the ballot documents, which in turn will join pressure on the illiterate cause problems learn just enough to disseminate names. 

Menon in her last initial of life was more recumbent to falls, after one specified incident in 1994 she got hospitalised for a fractured thighbone. At age 95 she locked away her final public appearance play a role Trivandrum in an event open to the elements felicitate the Election Commissioner TN Sheshan with a Gold Adorned Shawl (Ponnada Aniyikal). She passed away shortly after the occasion as a result of jettison second fall due to which she was confined in justness hospital.

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Menon Spent her prematurely and late-life in her traditional home named ‘Plain View‘. Option is situated in the sentiment of the city, Trivandrum. Menon had donated over 4000 books to the Trivandrum Public Lucubrate, this was from her Happening husband Prof. Nandan Menon’s piece Following her demise this impress was donated to the Sharada Mission. 

Being a true Gandhian ourselves, she has taught through be involved with actions. Menon is still these days the guiding light of uncountable women empowerment organisations. Her perception still shines brightly throughout influence country and so should an extra name.


 

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Elizabeth Isaac

Elizabeth has completed her Master’s of great magnitude English at Manipal University. She loves to write and disintegration hopeful about bringing a impinge on through her writings and like that which exhausted by it she much indulges in films, music folk tale tv shows.

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