Hyderabad: Late Malladi Subbamma, author and an activist who devoted her life to the welfare of women, would have been a happy person today, had she to see the department of women’s studies centre building that was constructed with the money that she had donated.
Recalling Malladi Subbamma’s immense contribution, professor Rekha Pande, the director of centre of women studies and social studies said, “Our department was running in a single room but when Subbamma visited our department and saw the way we operated, she decided to sell all her belongings and donate the amount to the university for building the development of women studies building in the university campus.”
Added professor Pande, “She had four children, a daughter and three sons. Among the four, two were doctors and two engineers and one of the four was settled abroad. Subbamma felt that her children were doing well and they did not need anything from her and therefore she established the Trust.”
Late Malladi had authored several books including ‘Women and Social Reforms.’ Subbamma worked for female literacy. She became a prominent personality after launching the anti-liquor movement and succeeded in ensuring that the then government headed by late N.T. Rama Rao imposed total prohibition in the state immediately after assuming power for the second time in 1994.
Along with her husband Mr M. V. Ramamurthy, Subamma travelled widely in India and abroad and propagated humanism. She conducted several secular weddings as well that were devoid of religious priests and rituals. As the head of the Institute for the Advancement of Women, she organised and conducted many study camps to enlighten women. Subamma fought for the cause of women’s liberation till her last breath on May 16, 2014.
Professor Pande added, “We were struggling to have a Centre from 1984 but could never get permission from the UGC. We had no building and no staff, but lots of students. I was operating from my History department office room for we had no building. Subamma was not an industrialist, like Tatas, Ambani or Jindals. She was an ordinary middle-class person like any of us but since her children were all settled and doing well, she sold her house, jewellery and started a Trust. She wanted to give the money to an organisation that worked on women’s issues.”
“She gave the money for the building. As I left this Centre in 2013 to take up responsibility in the History department we had lots of discussions on where this Centre should be located and what should be the building plan. Though she donated the money in 2012, the building is completely ready only now. Subamma is no more, but her passion for women’s issues remains in the form of this Centre and it will be my endeavour to make her proud.”
