by Theleaders-Online | January 31, 2020 7:25 am
PUCHONG: Toh Puan Umasundari, wife of late MIC minister Tun VT Sambanthan, passed away at 1.30pm today.
The news was confirmed to The Leaders Online by her daughter, S Deva Kunjari. No details were provided on the cause of death.
She was 91.
Born in Beruas, Perak, Uma was educated at the Anglo-Chinese School in Sungai Siput where she won the Best Indian Student of the Year scholarship in 1942.
However, her schooling was interrupted during the Japanese Occupation from 1942 to 1945.
After World War 2, Uma went to India to study Science at the University of Madras, majoring in chemistry.
She later completed her Masters degree at the Presidency College, Chennai in India.
Uma started her professional stint as a teacher in Singapore for three years before returning to Malaya in 1956 and married Sambanthan, who was MIC chief then.
Uma was famed for her works on charitable and social causes. Her passion was on women empowerment, especially those in rural areas.
She was also the founder of the National Council of Women’s Organisations. The distinguished personality also served as chairman and director of the National Land Finance Cooperative Society; an organisation established by her husband to help estate workers.
As of press time, her family had yet to announce on when they would perform Uma’s last rites.
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