Pioneering politician Devaki Krishnan dies aged 100

Devaki Ayathurai Krishnan, the first woman elected to public office in Malaysia, passed away last night at the age of 100.

Her passing was confirmed by her grandson Sungai Buloh MP R Ramanan, who said she died of old age at her home around 8pm.

“Her loss is irreplaceable. The memories will continue to be with us all. May her soul rest in peace," he said in a Facebook posting early today.

According to Ramanan, Devaki, dubbed as the ‘Grand Dame of Malaysian Indian Politics’, had devoted her life to serving the community.

“Her services and leadership raised the dignity of women in the eyes of the world. A pioneer and the first Malaysian woman to be elected to public office left a glorious legacy in the country's political history," he added. 

Devaki, who had been awarded the ‘Tan Sri’ title, made history in 1952 when she won a seat on the Kuala Lumpur Municipal Council as part of Onn Jaafar’s Independence of Malaya Party. She later joined MIC and contested the Sentul seat in the 1959 election.

During the May 1969 riots, she helped take care of riot victims and the homeless, numbering around 3,500, at Stadium Merdeka.

Devaki was appointed Wanita MIC secretary in 1975 and Wanita deputy president in 1984.

Of Sri Lankan Tamil descent, Devaki was born in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan on March 11, 1923, and was the eldest of six children.

She married businessperson P Krishnan and the couple had three children and five grandchildren. He died in 1998.

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