She governed their land during six stints as chief minister, endeavouring to fight female infanticide, introducing a slew of welfare schemes, and even toppling an NDA Union government by withdrawing her support. J Jayalalithaa, known to her adoring cadres and supporters as 'Amma' or 'mother,' breathed her last at Chennai's Apollo hospital on December 5, 2016. In February, Jayalalithaa's friend and aide VK Sasikala was on the cusp of achieving the glory of succeeding her as chief minister. The party's cadre may answer to different living masters, but none of those leaders - Palaniswami, Panneerselvam, or Dhinakaran - is taller than she. (India Today archive)WATCH | The Jaya behind Amma: 15 things you didn't know about Jayalalithaa

Source: India Today December 05, 2017 02:05 UTC