He was honored posthumously with the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the Republic of India.

On 22 September 2016, Jayalalithaa was admitted to Apollo Hospitals in Chennai as she was suffering from an infection and acute dehydration.

On 5 December 2016, the hospital announced her death around 11:30 p.m., and she became the first female chief minister to die in office in the Republic of India.

Her body was kept in state at her residence, Veda Nilayam in Poes Garden, Chennai, until the wee hours of 6 December 2016 and later at Rajaji Hall for the public to pay their tribute.

Her last rites were performed on the evening of 6 December 2016 and her remains were buried at the northern end of Marina Beach in a sandalwood casket engraved with "Puratchi Thalaivi Selvi J Jayalalithaa", adjacent to the grave of her mentor and the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu M. G. Ramachandran's memorial, named the M.G.R.

[3] In 1992, the memorial complex was remodeled and laid with marble by the Government of Tamil Nadu led by then chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.

[5] This renovation included a new entrance with the Two Leaves, the electoral symbol of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and Pegasus, the horse from Greek mythology; landscaping of the open area around the memorial using Korean grass; and the planting of exotic, decorative plants such as palmyra alpha, date palm, spider lily, and adenium.

Also included were a granite pathway shaped like a guitar, stainless steel handles around the memorial, a fountain in the middle, a waterfall at the rear, decorative lamps, and an overhead tower with lights both at the entrance and on the arch.

The erection of the two leaves insignia at the fascade of the entrance as an arch was opposed by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

's protégé and the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalithaa, died, she was buried behind her mentor in the memorial complex.

On 7 May 2018, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of the memorial by the then chief minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K. Palaniswami, in the presence of prominent members of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

[12][13] The facade of the memorial complex was a tall entry arch with a concrete replica of the Two Leaves, the electoral symbol of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, founded by the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu M. G. Ramachandran.

The facade was also given a Grecian touch with the erection of a 12-foot-high bronze sculpture of Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek mythology.