The life and times of J Jayalalithaa

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa breathed her last on Monday leaving scores of supporters distraught and wailing.

Former President of India Giani Zail Singh greets Jayalalithaa

Jayalalithaa, who was appointed a member of the noon-meal scheme committee by MGR in 1984, serves food to a child.

Jayalalithaa, her mother Sandhya and other artistes with former President of India Dr S. Radhakrishnan.

Congress leader and Tamil Nadu CM K. Kamaraj greets Jayalalithaa at a dance recital.

Jayalalithaa with her mother Sandhya.

As an artiste, Jayalalithaa receives an award from Tamil Nadu CM C. N. Annadurai.

Passing on the legacy: AIADMK founder leader MGR and J. Jayalalithaa at the Madurai party conference in 1986.

'I realised I was talking to a highly intelligent woman. I knew from my research that Jayalalithaa was a brilliant student - but her articulation and clarity of thought amazed me. No fumbling or searching for words to express herself. She never evaded any question. She was very frank and honest. There was sincerity; there was humour; there was pathos and pain,' said Simi Garewal on her interview with Jayalalithaa.

Jayalalithaa with Vijayakanth and Cho Ramaswamy.

Women power: As US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton was one of the world’s most powerful women and was floored by J. Jayalalithaa.

File photo of the then Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi talking to Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu state J Jayalalithaa during a meeting in New Delhi, India.

Woman of the masses: Jayalalithaa has plenty of fans in Coimbatore. Coimbatore district is touted as AIADMK’s bastion and has been going strong particularly since 1998 when the serial bomb blasts resulted in acute economic downslide only to be revived a long 10 years after.