Haripad, Alappuzha: "In legislative assemblies, many serious issues concerning women are debated. Therefore, it is high time that women are given appropriate representation in both the Sree Moolam Prajasabha (Sree Moolam Popular Assembly) and the legislative assembly." These were the words spoken by Bhanumathiyamma, the wife of the great Malayalam poet Kumaran Asan, during a speech in Muthukulam, 100 years ago.

The speech was made long before discussions about women's reservation and rights began. In May 1925, Bhanumathiyamma was presiding over the women's session at the SNDP Yogam held in Muthukulam. The speech was detailed and published by Mathrubhumi on May 23.

All the prominent leaders of the SNDP Yogam were present on stage. Before them, Bhanumathiyamma spoke about the issues faced by women in Malabar and Travancore.

At that time, women's representation in the legislative and Sree Moolam Popular Assembly could only be ensured through nomination. However, Bhanumathiyamma demanded that separate electoral constituencies be created for women. This demand was realized much later, but at the time, no one remembered Bhanumathiyamma or her valiant efforts to bring women into the mainstream of society.

Bhanumathiyamma also advocated for opening up positions previously unavailable to women, including clerical roles in the Anchal Department (postal department) and teaching positions in primary schools. She suggested that appointing women to such jobs would be beneficial and also encouraged women to be involved in industrial affairs. This advice was based on her own experience running her husband’s book publishing house and tiles factory after his death.

Bhanumathiyamma, born in 1901, was the daughter of Thachakudy Kumaran, the younger brother of Dr. P. Palpu’s father, and the vice president of SNDP Yogam. Due to the untimely death of her elder sister, she had to stop her studies at the age of 15. She married Kumaran Asan when she was 17. Seven years later, in 1924, Asan passed away. Bhanumathiyamma took over Asan’s institutions and moved forward with her young children, aged three and five.

She compiled Asan’s works and published them in three volumes. She also established a UP School at Pallana Kumarakodi, where Asan was laid to rest. Bhanumathiyamma, who traveled paths that few women of her time could have even imagined, passed away in 1975.