That former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa was an influential figure in India is undisputed, but the true extent of her sphere of influence became apparent in the manner in which leading news outlets across the globe wrote on Tuesday about her death late on Monday.
Jayalalithaa, who was 68, was quite popular with the people of Tamil Nadu — so much so that her supporters did not desert her even in the early hours of Tuesday morning when her mortal remains were transferred from Apollo Hospitals, where she was undergoing treatment, to her official residence at Poes Garden.
As the drama unfolded, the whole world sat up and took notice, as is reflected in the manner in which publications from the far west in the Americas to European and Middle-Eastern news outlets reported on her.
Here is what they had to say about the politician who had come to labelled "Amma", or mother, by her followers and "Iron Lady" in the arena of her work:
The BBC called her a colourful politician, and also said about people coming to pay their last respects to her: "From the early hours people streamed into the large public park inside which Jayalalitha's body lay in state, wrapped in the national flag. They converged into the arena from all directions, as the police struggled to control the flow."
The New York Times, per usual, was asking the pertinent questions when it speculated about who would succeed her as the leader of the AIADMK. It had already pointed out: "Her [Jayalalithaa's] longtime lieutenant and loyalist, O Panneerselvam, was named chief minister. He stepped in to take his mentor's place twice in previous years, but was so carefully submissive to her that he avoided sitting at her desk."
The Washington Post, like most other publications, also talked of the sea of emotion that had welled up within the people of Tamil Nadu. It added: "Hundreds of political leaders and film celebrities are expected to attend Jayalalithaa's funeral, scheduled for later Tuesday."
The Guardian, besides talking of the difficult political journey of Jayalalithaa, also reported on her film career. It wrote: "Jayalalithaa had been a glamorous and prolific Tamil film star for nearly two decades when she entered politics in 1982, joining the party of her mentor, MG Ramachandran, himself a former screen star turned chief minister."
The CNN article in its headline called Jayalalithaa "goddess" of Indian politics, and in the first paragraph "one of India's most powerful politicians." The report also hearkened towards the detractors Jayalalithaa had, saying: "To her critics, she was a powerful and corrupt politician who abused her privilege."
Closer home, Al Jazeera said in its report that the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Kerala were also affected by Jayalalithaa's demise. It said: "The neighbouring state of Karnataka stopped public buses from travelling to Tamil Nadu after one of its buses was attacked Monday. Both Tamil Nadu and Kerala states declared public holidays. In Tamil Nadu, schools, offices and businesses were to be closed for the next three days."
