Karthyayani Amma

Karthyayani Amma ( – 10 October 2023) was an Indian woman who passed a literacy examination with top marks at the age of 96. She received the Nari Shakti Puraskar award, the highest civilian award for a woman, by the government of India.

Early life Karthyayani Amma was born . She was from Cheppad, Haripad in the state of Kerala in India. As a child she had to work and therefore stopped attending school. She married and had six children, working as a street sweeper and maid. She was a vegetarian who rose at 04:00 every morning.

Tested on reading, writing and mathematics, Karthyayani Amma scored 98 out of a possible 100 marks, giving her the top grade. She told The Economic Times that her ambition was to pass the next level examination at the age of 100. In March 2020, she was honoured with the Nari Shakti Puraskar 2019 award, presented by Ram Nath Kovind, the president of India. Amma had never flown before but she was reassured by a former awardee M.S. Sunil days before she flew to the Presidential Palace in Delhi. Another recipient of the award was fellow Keralan Bhageerathi Amma, who at 105 is the oldest person to have passed an Aksharalaksham examination.

Inspired by her story, Vikas Khanna made a documentary called Barefoot Empress, which chronicled her journey and spirit.

Amma died in Alappuzha, Kerala on 10 October 2023, at the age of 101.