WOMEN AND SOCIAL CHANGE: Kerala PSC Notes, Study materials:

A.V Kuttimalu Amma(1905-1985

• She was born in Anakkara Vadakkathu family of Ponnani Taluk in Malabar, in 1905. 
• A.V. Kuttimalu Amma began her public life as an active Khadi and Swadeshi worker in 1930. 
• She was also known as a campaigner of Swadeshi movement. 
• She led groups of women in the picketing of foreign cloth-shops in Kozhikode in the year 1931. 
• During the Civil Disobedience Movement, holding her two month old baby in her arms, she led a procession of women, breaking the ban order in Calicut and was arrested and convicted for two years imprisonment. 
• In 1936, she was elected to the Madras Assembly. 
• During Quit India Movement, she was detained for two years in the Presidency jail for women. 
• After her release in 1944, she took up the task of organizing Congress in Malabar and became KPCC President for a term.
• She had also served as a member of AICC and the Congress Working Committee. In 1946, she was again elected as a member of Madras Legislative Assembly. 
• She had also been the Director of the Mathrubhumi publications and President of Malabar Hindi Prachar Sabha.

Ammu Swaminathan(1894–1978)

• Born into the Vadakkath family of Anakkara in Palakkad district, Kerala
• She was an Indian social worker and political activist during the Indian independence movement and a member of the Constituent Assembly of India.
•  After independence, she served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India.
• She was also selected as 'Mother of The Year' in 1975 on the inauguration of International Women's Year.
• Popular Bharatanatyam dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai, and wife of Vikram Sarabhai, a renowned scientist is the daughter of Ammu Swaminathan.
• Her another daughter Lakshmi Sahgal(commonly referred  as "Captain Lakshmi") was a revolutionary of the Indian independence movement, an officer of the Indian National Army

Accamma Cheriyan(1909-1982)

• Born in Kanjirapally.
• Popularly known as Jhansi Rani of Travancore.
• Accamma Cherian led a mass rally from Thampanoor to the Kowdiar Palace of the Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma to revoke a ban on State Congress. The agitating mob also demanded the dismissal of the Dewan, C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar, against whom the State Congress leaders had levelled several charges. The British police chief ordered his men to fire on the rally of over 20,000 people . Accamma Cherian cried, "I am the leader; shoot me first before you kill others". Her courageous words forced the police authorities to withdraw their orders. On hearing the news M. K. Gandhi hailed her as 'The Jhansi Rani of Travancore'. She was arrested and convicted for violating prohibitory orders in 1939.
• Accamma, after her release from jail, became a full-time worker of the State Congress. In 1942, she became its Acting President.
• In 1947, after independence, Accamma was elected unopposed to the Travancore Legislative Assembly from Kanjirapally. 
• She also served as a member of the Freedom Fighters' Pension Advisory Board.
• She is also known as 'Joan of Arc of Kerala'.
• Accamma Cheriyan organized female volunteer crops known as a Desa Sevika Sangh in Travancore.

Anna Chandy (1905-1996)

• Born in Trivandrum.
• Anna Chandy became India's first woman judge in a district court in 1948, and in 1959 at the Kerala High Court. 
• In 1926, she then became the first woman in her state to get a law degree.
• She was admitted to the bar in 1928 and in 1937 and was appointed as a district judge in Travancore by Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer , the then Dewan of Travancore. 
• She was the Judge of Kerala High Court from Feb 09, 1959 to April 5, 1967.
• Anna Chandy was the founder and editor of a journal called 'Shreemati' in which she championed women’s rights. 
• Sreemati is the first woman's magazine weekly published in malayalam. 
• She was a member of the Travancore Vidhan Parishad.
• Autobiography of Anna Chandy is 'Atmakatha'.

Lalithambika Antharjanam(1909-1987)

• Born in Kottavattom near Punalur, Kollam district,
• She was an Indian author and social reformer best known for her literary works in Malayalam language. Her writing reflects a sensitivity to the women's role in society.
• Her popular novel  novel 'Agnisakshi' (1976)  won the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977.
• First Vayalar Award winning novel is 'Agnisakshi'.
• Her autobiography Aathmakadhakkoru Aamukham (An Introduction to Autobiography) is a very significant work.

Parvathi Nenmenimangalam

• Parvati Nenmenimangalam was active in the social reform movement among the Nambudiris and played a leading role in organising Nambudiri women.

Arya Pallam 

• Arya Pallam was a woman activist who worked for reforms on the life of Namboothiri women.
• She was nominated to Cochin legislative assembly to advice about the Namboodiri Bill

Thottekkattu Madhavi Amma

• She presided over the first exclusive women session of the NSS in 1929.
• Wife of Mannathu Padmanabhan.
• Madhavi Amma was the first woman to be a member of any legislature in India
• She was the daughter of Diwan Peshkar of Cochin and the famous poet Thottakattu Ikkavamma.

K.Devayani

• Leader of  Karivalloor Struggle. Karivellur struggle is a valiant sliver in the history of the revolt against British imperialism which occurred on 20 December  1946.

Lalitha Prabhu 

• She was the  daughter of Great Educationalist M.Sheshagiri Prabhu.
• Famous activist of Kerala Mahila Desa Sevika Sangh. 
• Participated in Disobedience movement.

Mary Poonan Lukose(1886-1976)

• Born in Aymanam,Kottayam
• She worked as  gynecologist and obstetrician.
• She was the First woman Surgeon General in India.
• In 1922 she was nominated to the legislative assembly of Travancore,known as Sree Chitra State Council, thus becoming the first woman legislator in the state.
• Government of India awarded her Padma Shri in 1975.
• Founder of a Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Nagarcoil and the X-Ray and Radium Institute, Thiruvananthapuram.

Also Check MCQ Questions: Kerala Women Activists