Social worker and women’s rights activist, May George, passed away in the city on Saturday. She was 88.
Ms. George was the first woman engineer from the Madras province and worked with the State housing board to come up with low-cost housing solutions.
As the first technical officer of City Improvement Trust, which became the State housing board later, she had several projects, including ones at CIT Nagar, Chintadripet, Manali and Perambur, to her credit.
She went on to become the board’s chief engineer.
Ms. George also served as the first principal of the first-ever women’s polytechnic in the State. She spearheaded the setting-up of the institution and designed buildings for the campus near Taramani.
A founder member of the Zonta Club of Madras, a service organisation for women in business and professions, Ms. George played an instrumental role in initiating welfare projects for women in Chennai.
She is survived by a son, daughter, grandsons and a granddaughter.
