Achamma Mathai was an Indian social worker, women's rights activist, a co-founder of ''Dr. John Mathai Centre'', an institute of

Information Technology Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology system (I ...

, Economics, Management, Theatre Arts and Music under the

University of Calicut The University of Calicut, also known as Calicut University, is a State ownership, state-run public university headquartered at Tenhipalam in Malappuram district of the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1968, it is the first university to ...

and the wife of

John Mathai John Matthai CIE (1886–1959) was an economist who served as India's first Railway Minister and subsequently as India's Finance Minister, taking office shortly after the presentation of India's first Budget, in 1948. He was born on January 1 ...

, the first

Railway Minister of India The Minister of Railways is the head of the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, i ...

and a former Finance minister. During her stay in Delhi, when her husband was serving in the Union Ministry, she was reported to have been involved in activities related to children's education. During the riots that followed Indian independence, she worked alongside

Sucheta Kripalani Sucheta Kripalani (''née'' Majumdar; 25 June 1908 – 1 December 1974) was an Indian freedom fighter and politician. She was India's first female Chief Minister, serving as the head of the Uttar Pradesh government from 1963 to 1967. Early lif ...

for the rehabilitation of the riot victims. She served as a member of the Advisory Committee for Libraries in 1955 and as the chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board in the early Sixties. The

Government of India The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...

honoured her in 1954, with the award of

Padma Shri Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...

, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for her contributions to the society, placing her among the first recipients of the award.

References

Recipients of the Padma Shri in public affairs Women educators from Kerala Educators from Kerala Malayali people Indian women's rights activists Year of birth missing Activists from Kerala Indian women activists Social workers from Kerala 20th-century Indian educational theorists 20th-century women educators 20th-century Indian women {{India-activist-stub