Lakshmi Kantamma

Tella Lakshmi Kantamma (16 July 1924 – 13 December 2007) was an influential Indian politician who served as a member of parliament from 1962 to 1977. She was also a political advisor to Prime Minister P.V Narasimha Rao.

Early life Born in Alampur village in Mahabubnagar District of Telangana, Tella Lakshmi Kantamma hailed from a large family of Kamma landlords. Like P.V Narasimha Rao, she was a writer and Sanskrit scholar. She was elected to Lok Sabha from Khammam in 1962, 1967, and 1971 as a member of Congress Party. She served as Executive Member of Parliament Committee when Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister. She opposed imposition of emergency in 1975 and joined Janata Party in 1977. She contested 1977 Lok Sabha election on Janata Party's ticket from Secunderabad but lost. She contested a bye-election for Lok Sabha from Secunderabad in 1979 but lost again.

During the China War in 1962, she not only learnt rifle shooting but also won 2nd prize. She was a member of Indian delegation from Parliament to visit Australia. In those days women were not allowed to become IAS officers. Lakshmi Kantamma took the initiative and convinced Mrs. Indira Gandhi and got the barrier lifted. She raised the issue of enacting a law for 50% property right for women several times in Parliament. As member of the state election committee in 1972, she was instrumental in allotting tickets to 70 women and youth. Chekuri Kasaiah who faced defeat at her hands, recalls even now that there used to be huge crowds during her electioneering at Khammam in 1957. Khammam is a seat where Congress had lost its deposit in the previous election but Lakshmi Kantamma gave a tough fight, and lost only narrowly. She became a sadhvi.

She contributed articles for newspapers on current political and social developments till she was 82. She died on 13 December 2007.