Valliamma Munuswamy Mudaliar

Born: 22 February 1898
Died: 22 February 1914
Updated: 21 Jul 2026

Summary

Activist and Martyr. Died as a result of her participation in the South African liberation struggle.

The participation of women passive resisters was a key element of the Satyagraha Campaign of 1913 - 1914. Angered by the Supreme Court judgement in March 1913, in which, Judge Searle refused to recognise Hindu and Muslim marriages, Indian women joined the Campaign for the first time.

When Valliamma Munuswamy Mudaliar was sentenced to prison, she was already a little unwell. Her condition soon began to deteriorate, but she refused the offer made by the authorities to return her to her home. She was not prepared to give up the passive struggle. She was eventually released on 11 February 1914, after a provisional agreement had been signed between General Jan Christiaan Smuts and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. She arrived home on 20 February, and on 22 February died.

How we know this

01‘Soweto’ supplement, The Leader

Last updated · 21 Jul 2026

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, February 17). Valliamma Munuswamy Mudaliar. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ss/ref/B-0009182

South African History Online (2011) 'Valliamma Munuswamy Mudaliar', South African History Online, 17 February. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ss/ref/B-0009182 (Accessed: 22 July 2026).

South African History Online, Valliamma Munuswamy Mudaliar [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ss/ref/B-0009182, (accessed 22 July 2026).

"Valliamma Munuswamy Mudaliar." South African History Online, 17 Feb. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ss/ref/B-0009182. Accessed 22 July 2026.

South African History Online. "Valliamma Munuswamy Mudaliar." South African History Online. February 17, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ss/ref/B-0009182.