Tamil Nadu's First Woman Speaker? History Shows Sathyabama Not the First

Tamil Nadu MLA Sathyabama presided over the state assembly on Wednesday, but historians and commentators have disputed claims that she was the first woman to occupy the Speaker's chair. Several women, including Rukmini Lakshmipathi, who served as Deputy Speaker from 1937, and A.S. Ponnammal, who acted as pro-tem Speaker in 1991 and 1996, have previously presided over the House. Critics have accused media outlets of spreading inaccurate historical information. The event occurred after Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar and Deputy Speaker M. Ravisankar left the chamber, prompting Sathyabama, a member of the TVK party, to lead the afternoon session. Opposition members congratulated her, while social media posts highlighted the earlier instances of women holding presiding roles.