R. Indira Kumari, who was a minister in the cabinet of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa between 1991 and 1996, died in Chennai on Monday. She underwent a bypass surgery in a private hospital, but succumbed to a cardiac arrest. She is survived by her husband and a daughter.
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She held the portfolio of Social Welfare and was convicted by a special court in 2021 to five-year rigorous imprisonment for siphoning off ₹15.45 lakh from a government department and parking the sum in two trusts run by her husband under the pretext of running schools for children with disabilities. Her husband was also convicted.
Indira Kumari was with the Gandhi Kamaraj Desiya Kazhagam launched by Congress leader Kumari Anandan before switching over to the AIADMK. She was a well-known platform speaker. After her tenure in the AIADMK government, led by Jayalalithaa, she fell from her favour and was removed from the party. She subsequently joined the DMK and worked in the literary wing of the party.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin condoled her death.