India's "Iron Lady" passes away at the age of 68

One of India's most influential and colorful politicians, Jayalalithaa Jayaram, has died at the age of 68. The chief minister of Tamil Nadu suffered a heart attack and passed away at 11pm (local time) on December 5.

Ms. Jayalalithaa Jayaram. Photo: BBC

Thousands of supporters gathered to pray for her and police were deployed in southern states to guard against unrest her supporters could cause.

Ms Jayalalitha spent months in hospital and was a film star before being elected chief minister of Tamil Nadu four times.

Because she was so widely revered, there were concerns that her death could spark unrest over the extreme devotion she inspired in many, who even called her "Amma" (mother).

Since midnight, hundreds of people had lined the streets outside the hospital where she died, hoping to catch a glimpse of the woman they called “Amma.” As the ambulance carrying her body pulled out, supporters surged forward, pushing and shoving to get closer to the vehicle. They nearly broke through the police lines. Many broke into tears.

A senior AIADMK politician, Jayaram's close aide O Panneerselvam, was sworn in as Tamil Nadu chief minister just hours after her death.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to send condolences to Jayalalitha's family.

Khushboo Sundar, a film actress and spokeswoman for the Congress Party, told the BBC: "I am devastated. Even though our political views were different, I had great respect for her. We had false hopes, none of us wanted her to lose this battle (of illness)... She was a symbol of the strength of women like me. She fought against injustice so that her name could be compared to that of male politicians. We have lost a great politician, a champion of women's rights."

Jayalalitha had a dramatic life, both on and off screen. She appeared in more than 100 films before entering politics in the early 1980s. She took control of the AIADMK and led it to its first victory in Tamil Nadu in 1991 and then three more.

She has been accused of corruption multiple times and served two short prison terms, most recently in 2014. However, many still admire Ms. Jayalalitha and believe she played a crucial role in the development of Tamil Nadu - one of the most economically influential states in India.

According to Labor