Vaithamanithi Mudumbai Kothainayaki Ammal (1 December 1901 – 20 February 1960), familiarly known as Vai Mu Ko,[1] was an Indian writer, novelist, and journalist who was the first woman to occupy the editorial board of a Tamil magazine.
[2][3] She was interested in a variety of topics and excelled in fields like public speaking, social service, music composition, and fiction writing.
[4] Kothainayaki was born on 1 December 1901 to a devout Vaishnavite couple -- Pattammal and N. S. Venkatachary[5]-- in Neervalur (a village near Kanchipuram in present-day Tamil Nadu).
Parthasarathy admired her story telling skills and took her to see dramas and plays; these became the seed for her future career as a playwright.
After the success of Indira Mohana, Kothainayaki wrote her first novel Vaidehi which was serialised in the magazine Jaganmohini.
As this magazine became popular among its readers, Kothainayaki introduced several changes and published the latest works of celebrated writers.
Kothainayaki wrote about her views on social issues like Hindu-Muslim unity, women's emancipation,[5] patriotism, prohibition, and widow remarriage in her novels serialised in the magazine.
[12][failed verification] Kothainayaki regularly sang for All India Radio and released several gramophone records.
Subramania Bharati composed his song "Aduvome, Pallu Paduvome" for Kothainayaki and, later, D. K. Pattammal became a star by singing it.
Impressed by the simplicity of Gandhi's life, and his powerful oration, Kothainayaki renounced interest in luxurious living and started wearing only khadi saris, discarding her silk dresses and gold and diamond jewellery.
She plunged into social service activities with Ambujam Ammal, Rukmany Lakshmipathy and Vasumathi Ramaswamy.
Responding to the Mahatma's call in 1931, she participated in the satyagraha agitation against toddy and liquor shops and was arrested by the police.
The more notable among the films were Anadhai Penn (1938, Jupiter Pictures)[13][14] and Dayanidhi which was retitled as Chitthi (1966), Rajmohan and Nalinasekaran.
After Gandhi's assassination in 1948, she commemorated his memory by started an association called Mahatmaji Seva Sangam to help poor and orphaned children.