At a time when society stood in the way of women’s education, a determined girl born in Madras broke barriers in the 1930s and earned a remarkable reputation as a historian, though she lived only for 34 years. C. Minakshi, whose 120th birth anniversary passed on September 12, became the first woman to receive a doctorate from the University of Madras in 1936. She established herself as a leading authority on Pallava history and produced work remarkable for its depth and breadth.
The archival reports in The Hindu throw light on Minakshi’s determination and contribution to history. A report published on August 15, 2010, quoted William Willets, a well-known scholar of Asian art, as saying in 1962: “She was personally the greatest woman scholar that India has yet produced.” Had she lived longer, Minakshi would have stood alongside her teacher K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, the doyen of South Indian history.
Persistent struggle
Minakshi’s path to scholarship involved a persistent struggle. Her early life included its share of hardship. Cadambi Balakrishnan, her father, worked as a bench clerk in the Madras High Court but died when Minakshi was very young. Her mother, Mangammal, managed the family’s agricultural income and savings with remarkable resolve. As The Hindu reported in 2010, her two elder brothers began working early to ensure that their sister could continue her education.
