Moturu Udayam

Moturu Udayam (b. October 13, 1924, Turumella village, Guntur district, d. March 31, 2002, Vijayawada) was an Indian politician and women's rights activist. She was the General Secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Mahila Sangham for eighteen years, and then the honorary president of the organisation between 1992 and 2001. She was also Vice President of the All India Democratic Women's Association, to which the APMS is affiliated, between 1981 to 2001.^[1]

Udayam came from a family of communist sympathizers in Turumella village. She got married to the communist leader Moturi Hanumantha Rao. Along with her husband, she lived underground during the periods of 1940-1945 and 1949-1951. During these periods she led the first all-female Burrakatha cultural group, a vehicle for anti-fascist campaign activities. She was also was known in Andhra Pradesh as the first woman to peddle a bicycle in the state.^[1]

When the Communist Party of India was split in 1964, she sided with the Communist Party of India (Marxist).^[1] During the Emergency, she again went underground to escape repression.^[1]

Legacy

After her death, the Moturu Udayam Trust was set up in her memory. Mallu Swarajyam, who had built up the APMS alongside Udayam, is the managing trustee of the Trust.^[2]

Bibliography

Udayam's life story is detailed, along with testimonies from eleven other women activists, in the book Breaking Barriers, Stories of Twelve Women.^[3]

Udayam herself was author of publications such as Kangrasupalana pratibimbame mahilala ki adhogati, Mahilala badhamaya jivita gunde cappullu: Adugaduguna vyathalu-visada gathalu and Mahilalaku himsala nundi vimukti eppudu?.^[4]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} People's Democracy, 21 April 2002
2. ^ The Hindu, 13 August 2005
3. ^ The Hindu, 19 November 2004
4. ^ Author: Moturu Udayam

Persondata
Name	Moturu Udayam
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	October 13, 1924
Place of birth
Date of death	March 31, 2002
Place of death