CHENNAI: Dr Meena Muthiah, noted educationist, philanthropist and founder and correspondent of Chettinad Vidyashram, passed away in Ooty in the wee hours of Saturday. She was 91. Her funeral will be held at the Mylapore crematorium on Sunday between 9 am and 11 am. She was widely known for building institutions that broadened educational opportunities, improved access to medical services for rural women and her role in reviving Tanjore art.
Belonging to the family of Raja Annamalai Chettiar, founder of Annamalai University, she was married to Kumararaja Muthiah Chettiar. After losing her husband at the age of 34, she turned her focus to academics and public service, with the support of her mother-in-law, Rani Meyyammai.
Dr Muthiah completed her BA in Economics and MA in History from Queen Mary’s College, Chennai. She went on to earn a doctorate in 2002 with a thesis on the origin and development of Tanjore painting. A trained practitioner of the art, she played a key role in its revival and established the Kumara Rajah Muthiah School of Traditional Arts and Crafts to train students in the Tanjore style. She was conferred the Living Craft Treasure Award (2016-17) by Poompuhar, Government of Tamil Nadu.