Revision 7758928 of "Vanathi Srinivasan" on simplewiki

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date = October 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Vanathi Srinivasan
| children            = 2
| president3          = [[Tamilisai Soundararajan]]<br /> [[L. Murugan]]
| birth_name          = Vanathi Kandaswamy
| birth_date          = {{birthdate and age|1970|6|6}}
| birth_place         = 
| residence           = [[Chennai]], [[Tamilnadu]]
| website             = {{Official website|http://vanathisrinivasan.com/}}
| spouse              = Su Srinivasan
| party               = [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
| term_start3         = 16 August 2014
| profession          = Politician, Lawyer
| alma_mater          = {{plainlist|
* PSG College of Arts and Science
* Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai|Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College
* University of Madras
}}
| date                = 
| year                = 
| signature           = 
| bodyclass           = 
| native_name         = வானதி சீனிவாசன்
| term_end3           = 3 July 2020
| office3             = General Secretary of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|Bharatiya Janata Party, Tamil Nadu]]
| image               = File:VS_PIC2.jpg
| predecessor         = Amman K. Arjunan
| imagesize           = 
| alt                 = 
| caption             = Vanathi Srinivasan in December 2020
| nationality         = Indian
| office              = Member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
| term_start          = 2 May 2021
| constituency        = Coimbatore South (state assembly constituency)
| office1             = President of the BJP Mahila Morcha
| president2          = L. Murugan
| term_start1         = 28 October 2020
| term_end1           = 
| president1          = [[Jagat Prakash Nadda]]
| predecessor1        = Vijaya Rahatkar
| successor1          = 
| office2             = Vice President of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|Bharatiya Janata Party, Tamil Nadu]]
| term_start2         = 3 July 2020
| term_end2           = 28 October 2020
| native_name_lang    = ta
}}
'''Vanathi Srinivasan''' is a Indian politician, Social activist and a [[lawyer]] currently serving as the National President of the Womens's wing of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last1=May 31|first1=Jaya Menon {{!}}|last2=2019|last3=Ist|first3=8:12|title=BJP looks for new party chief in Tamil Nadu {{!}} Chennai News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/bjp-looks-for-new-party-chief-in-state/articleshow/69589502.cms|access-date=2019-12-24|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> She is a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from Coimbatore South constituency.<ref>https://www.news18.com/news/politics/coimbatore-south-election-result-2021-live-updates-coimbatore-south-winner-loser-leading-trailing-mla-margin-3694766.html</ref> As a lawyer, she has practicedin Chennai High Court since 1993.<ref name="NIE2020">{{cite news|date=29 October 2020|title=Vanathi Srinivasan elevated as BJP women's wing president|work=The New Indian Express|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2020/oct/29/vanathi-srinivasan-elevated-as-bjp-womens-wing-president-2216434.html|access-date=4 March 2021}}</ref>

Vanathi is also a women’s welfare activist, orator, social activist, author, and philanthropist. She is known for her advocacy of girl-child education, empowerment of single-mothers and is one of the few politicians to deliver polite and precise political answers on live-television debates.<ref name="firstparty">{{Cite web|title=Vanathi Srinivasan|url=https://en.vanathisrinivasan.com/|access-date=2021-08-01|website=Vanathi Srinivasan|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Vanathi Srinivasan was born on 6 June 1970 to Kandasamy and Poovathal of [[Kongu Vellalar|Kongu Vellalar community]] traditionally practicing [[Agriculture]] in Uliyampalayam Village near Thondamuthur in [[Coimbatore]].<ref>{{Citation|title=வானதி சீனிவாசன் உடன் சிறப்பு நேர்காணல் {{!}} Vanathi Srinivasan|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arRRRRzWJHM|language=en|access-date=2021-08-02}}</ref> She is the eldest child in the family and she has a brother named Shiva Kumar.<ref>{{Cite web|title=vanathi srinivasan|url=https://tamil.samayam.com/topics/vanathi-srinivasan|access-date=2021-08-02|website=Samayam Tamil|language=ta}}</ref> She did her schooling at Thondamuthur Higher Secondary School. She did her Bachelors in Chemistry from PSG Arts & Science College. She graduated from Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai in 1993 and went on to achieve her Master's Degree in Law from the University of Madras in the branch of International Constitution in 1995.{{r|firstparty}}

== Legal career ==
Vanathi is a lawyer by profession.<ref>{{cite web|date=23 May 2016|title=TN BJP leader hosts chat shows on Facebook|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tn-bjp-leader-hosts-chat-shows-on-facebook/article6100637.ece|accessdate=26 January 2018|publisher=The Hindu}}</ref> She started her professional career in 1993, working for Shri. B.S.Gnanadesikan, Senior Advocate (Formerly Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President). She has been practicing lawin Chennai High Court for more than two decades. In 2012, Vanathi received the ''Outstanding Woman Lawyer award'' from the Chief Justice Iqbal of Madras High Court, and was subsequently elevated to the Supreme Court of India.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pyarilal|first=Vasanth|date=2018-08-10|title=The Super Woman: Vanathi Srinivasan, General Secretary of Tamil Nadu BJP {{!}} RITZ|url=https://www.ritzmagazine.in/the-super-woman-vanathi-srinivasan-general-secretary-of-tamil-nadu-bjp/|access-date=2021-08-02|language=en-US}}</ref>

Vanathi was also a Standing Counsel for Southern Railway and Union Government, She was a former state secretary of BJP Tamilnadu and also severed as board member of Central Board of Film Certification.<ref>{{cite web|date=19 January 2015|title=Censor Board, News Today|url=http://newstodaynet.com/news-tags/censor-board|accessdate=27 September 2016|publisher=News Today}}{{Dead link|date=September 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=24 August 2005|title=Actor Surya held, out on bail|url=http://archive.deccanherald.com/Deccanherald/aug242005/national223182005823.asp|accessdate=27 September 2016|publisher=Deccan Herald|archive-date=27 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927203648/http://archive.deccanherald.com/Deccanherald/aug242005/national223182005823.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref> She contested in 2011 & 2016 Tamil Nadu State Assembly election as BJP candidate.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Madhavan|first=Karthik|date=2016-05-20|title=In Coimbatore, BJP performs better than DMDK-PWF-TMC|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/elections/tamilnadu2016/in-coimbatore-bjp-performs-better-than-dmdkpwftmc/article8623059.ece|access-date=2021-08-02|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== Political career ==
Vanathi Srinivasan's association with the [[BJP]] spans for more than three decades. She has been a member of BJP since 1993 and has held various positions in the party since 1999. She was appointed a State Secretary of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP Tamilnadu]] in 2013 and continued until 2014 when she was appointed as the General Secretary of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP Tamilnadu]], a post she continued till June 2020 when she was elevated as the State Vice President of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP Tamilnadu]].  On 28 October 2020, [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] National President [[Jagat Prakash Nadda]] appointed Vanathi Srinivasan as the National President of the BJP Mahila Morcha.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Vanathi Srinivasan: Party Veteran And BJP's Hope For Coimbatore South|url=https://www.ndtv.com/people/vanathi-srinivasan-party-veteran-and-bjps-hope-for-coimbatore-south-in-tamil-nadu-assembly-elections-2426332|access-date=2021-08-01|website=NDTV.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=PTI|date=2020-10-28|title=Vanathi Srinivasan Appointed BJP Women's Wing President|url=https://www.india.com/news/india/who-is-vanathi-srinivasan-bjp-mahila-morcha-women-wing-president-4189311/|access-date=2021-08-01|website=India News, Breaking News {{!}} India.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=தமிழகத்தில் சமூக விரோதிகள்? Vanathi Srinivasan Exclusive Interview {{!}} Narendra Modi {{!}} BJP {{!}} NT37|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vslrq07vfts|language=en|access-date=2021-08-02}}</ref>

=== 2011, 2016 Assembly elections ===
She contested in 2011 Assembly elections in Mylapore constituency and lost. She secured 33,113 votes in the Coimbatore South Assembly Election 2016 securing 2nd place while BJP is contesting alone.<ref>{{cite web|date=12 September 2016|title=In Coimbatore, BJP performs better than DMDK-PWF-TMC|url=http://www.thehindu.com/elections/tamilnadu2016/in-coimbatore-bjp-performs-better-than-dmdkpwftmc/article8623059.ece|access-date=26 January 2018|work=The Hindu}}</ref>

=== 2021 Assembly elections ===
She successfully contested the 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election from Coimbatore South constituency on a BJP ticket by defeating actor Kamal Haasan of [[Makkal Needhi Maiam]].<ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/tamil-nadu-assembly-polls-2021/story/bjp-candidates-list-for-tamil-nadu-election-khushboo-sundar-vanathi-srinavasan-1779180-2021-03-14</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-15|title=Vanathi Srinivasan: A popular candidate from an unpopular party|url=https://indianexpress.com/elections/tamil-nadu-polls-vanathi-srinivasan-bjp-7228814/|access-date=2021-08-01|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-02|title=Vanathi Srinivasan beats Kamal Haasan to win seesaw battle in Coimbatore South|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/vanathi-srinivasan-beats-kamal-haasan-win-seesaw-battle-coimbatore-south-148200|access-date=2021-08-01|website=The News Minute|language=en}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Vanathi is married to Su.Srinivasan. They have two sons.<ref>{{Citation|title=வானதி சீனிவாசன் பாஜக- சிறப்பு பேட்டி {{!}} Vanathi Srinivasan {{!}} SANGAM {{!}} Exclusive Interview {{!}} DINAMALAR|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6XRT-QA1gE|language=en|access-date=2021-08-02}}</ref>

== Writing ==
She wrote the book ‘Women- You are the Great’ in the year 2018 and ‘Why we need CAA’ (in Tamil) in the year 2020.

== Social activism ==
Vanathi founded ''Thamarai Shakthi Trust'' – an NGO working for Women Empowerment.<ref>{{cite web|date=2018-01-23|title=Sister Nivedita ratha yatra flagged off|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/sister-nivedita-ratha-yatra-flagged-off/article22494071.ece|access-date=2018-01-26|work=The Hindu}}</ref> She was the State Organiser for Sister Nivedita 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations. Vanathi supported Asian games medallist Santhi Soundarajan's ''Justice for Santhi'' campaign to end the sex verification test for women in sports. She also initiated water conservation projects in Coimbatore to protect the local water bodies.<ref>{{cite web|date=2017-04-23|title=Uliyampalayam pond fills up|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/uliyampalayam-pond-fills-up/article17600488.ece|access-date=2018-01-26|work=The Hindu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2017-04-23|title=Uliyampalayam pond fills up|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/uliyampalayam-pond-fills-up/article17600488.ece|access-date=2018-01-26|work=The Hindu}}</ref>

''Kovai Makkal Sevai Maiyyam'' is an NGO founded in 2017 by Vanathi Srinivasan which focuses on the welfare of the residents of Coimbatore and surrounding areas.<ref>{{cite web|date=15 November 2020|title=BJP Leader Vanathi Srinivasan launches Modi's Daughter scheme|url=https://www.dailythanthi.com/Districts/Chennai/2020/11/15221510/Modis-daughter-project-launched-in-Coimbatore.vpf|access-date=13 January 2021|publisher=Dinathanthi}}</ref>

''New India Forum'' was founded by Vanathi in 2019 as a think tank to bring together industry elites and young professionals.

Vanathi openly supports the rights of gender and sexual minorities in India along with few of her political party members including [[Arun Jaitley]]. She launched the first book on the LGBT community in the Tamil language penned by Gopi Shankar Madurai.<ref>{{cite web|date=2014-07-14|title=Meet the BJP leader who released a book on LGBT rights|url=http://www.thenewsminute.com/news_sections/646|access-date=2018-01-26|publisher=The News Minute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2014-07-21|title=It's a great honour to be awarded for book on gender variants: Gopi Shankar - Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Its-a-great-honour-to-be-awarded-for-book-on-gender-variants-Gopi-Shankar/articleshow/38769130.cms|access-date=2018-01-26|publisher=Timesofindia.indiatimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Ashok Row Kavi|date=2016-03-19|title=RSS flip-flop on homosexuality indicates gay men in India remain in exile, writes Ashok Row Kavi|url=http://www.firstpost.com/living/rss-flip-flop-on-homosexuality-indicates-gay-men-in-india-remain-in-exile-writes-ashok-row-kavi-2685296.html|access-date=2018-01-26|publisher=Firstpost.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Emmanuel|first=Gladwin|date=11 July 2014|title=BJP leader launches LGBT rights book in TN|newspaper=Mumbai Mirror|url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/news/india/BJP-leader-launches-LGBT-rights-book-in-TN/articleshow/38157614.cms|access-date=19 October 2019}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}