Remembering C. Minakshi, a trailblazing scholar and authority on Pallava history
At a time when society stood in the way of women’s education, a determined girl born in Madras in the 1930s overcame obstacles and gained notable fame as a historian, although she lived only 34 years. C. Minakshi, whose 120th birth anniversary passed on September 12, became the first woman to receive a doctorate degree from the University of Madras in 1936. He established himself as a leading authority on Pallava history and produced works remarkable for their depth and breadth.
Archive reports Hindu It sheds light on Minakshi’s determination and contribution to history. A report published on August 15, 2010 quotes William Willets, a well-known scholar of Asian art, as saying in 1962: “She was personally the greatest woman scholar India has ever produced.” Had Minakshi lived longer, she would have stood alongside KA Nilakanta Sastri, the doyen of South Indian history.
permanent struggle
Minakshi’s path to science involved persistent struggle. His early life contained his share of difficulties. Her father, Cadambi Balakrishnan, worked as a clerk in the Madras High Court but died when Minakshi was very young. His mother, Mangammal, managed the family’s agricultural income and savings with extraordinary determination. Like Hindu In 2010, it was reported that her two older brothers started working early so that their sister could continue her education.
After completing her undergraduate studies at the Women’s Christian College in 1929, she sought admission to the MA in History at Madras Christian College. His eldest brother, C. Lakshminarayanan, who was then a professor at the university, opened the door for him to join the Department of History by personally assuring the management that they would take charge of him. She later joined the University of Madras and completed her PhD in 1936, becoming the first woman to receive a PhD from the prestigious institution.
University of Madras published his doctoral thesis: Management and Social Life in PallavasIn 1939 as part of a history series edited by Nilakanta Sastri. A review Hindu he described it at the time as “a hugely accomplished piece of research and one of the best in a worthy series”. Minakshi produced an astonishing scientific output during her short career. As a professional historian, he published more than 30 articles and four books in just four years; three of these appeared posthumously. In 1939, the Archaeological Survey of India commissioned him to examine the sculptures at the Vaikuntaperumal Temple in Kancheepuram. This work, published posthumously, remains a reliable reference on Pallava art.
He also expressed his intellectual curiosity in discussions with his peers. An archive report Hindu He recalls heated conversations with Jouveau-Dubreuil, a well-known French archaeologist, on the origins of the Kailasanathar Temple in Kancheepuram.
Minakshi’s voice has transcended history. Writing in a Tamil magazine in 1939 KalaimagalHe commented on the restrictions imposed on women: “Men are encouraged to act freely, while women are always questioned. But in terms of physical strength, men are in no way stronger than women. When women come forward to study or pursue a career, they are discouraged.”
Despite his impressive credentials, he faced difficulties finding employment. He even applied for the post of Station Director at All India Radio in Tiruchi but was unsuccessful. Undaunted, Minakshi reached out to friends, colleagues and political leaders, distributing copies of her book widely. Among those who appreciated his work was the then Chief Minister of the Madras Presidency, C. Rajagopalachari.
Job offer from Bengaluru
Mirza Ismail, Dewan of Mysore, offered him the position of Assistant Professor at Maharani College, Bangalore. By August 1939, he and his mother had moved to Bengaluru; here his career appeared poised to find steady ground. But fate struck cruelly. Within a few months he fell ill and passed away on 3 March 1940 in Nungambakkam.
“It is very cruel that he should die at such a young age. Whenever I think of it, pain washes over me,” his mentor Nilakanta Sastri wrote in a letter to his mother in 1941. His untimely death deprived Indian historiography of one of its most promising minds. But his works remain a definitive guide to the Pallavas.
It was published – 10 October 2025 06:30 IST
