AryaShah at 16:35, 2 May 2026

2026-05-02T16:35:50Z

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{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{notability|Biographies|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Deepa Jayakumar
| image = Deepa.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = J. Deepa Madhavan
| office = [[Secretary (title)|General Secretary]] of M.G.R Amma Deepa Peravai
| term_start = 24 February 2017
| term_end = 30 July 2019
| predecessor = ''Position established''
| successor = ''Position abolished''
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|11|10}}
| birth_place = [[Madras]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]] {{smaller|(present-day [[Chennai]])}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = M.G.R Amma Deepa Peravai {{small|(2017 – 2019)}}
| alma_mater = [[University of Madras]] (B.A English) 
[[Madurai Kamaraj University]] (M.A. in journalism and mass communication) 
[[Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation|Vinayaka Missions University]] (mass communication) 
[[Cardiff University]], [[Wales]] (M.A. in international journalism)
| spouse = {{marriage|K. Madhavan|2012}}
| children = 1
| relatives = [[Sandhya (actress, born 1924)|Sandhya]] (grandmother) [[J. Jayalalithaa]] (paternal aunt)
| profession = {{hlist|Journalist|politician}}
| nickname =
}}

'''Deepa Jayakumar''' (born 10 November 1974), better known as J. Deepa, is a former politician and journalist.<ref name=times>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/jayalalithaas-niece-deepa-jayakumar-floats-mgr-amma-deepa-peravai/articleshow/57331735.cms|title=Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakumar floats political outfit 'Mgr Amma Deepa Peravai'|newspaper=Timesofindia|access-date=24 February 2017}}</ref><ref name=hind>{{cite news|url=http://m.hindustantimes.com/india-news/jayalalithaa-s-niece-deepa-jayakumar-announces-new-political-party-in-tamil-nadu/story-4V6iSA0GsmoDSiJYOJ0X0N.html|title=Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakumar announces new political party in Tamil Nadu'
|newspaper=Hindustan Times|access-date=24 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="mali">[http://www.maalaimalar.com/News/TopNews/2017/02/24181855/1070256/Deepa-announced-new-organization-as-MGR-Amma-Deepa]{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== Personal life==
Deepa was born on 10 November 1974<ref name=NDTV>[http://m.ndtv.com/opinion/inheritance-of-loss-1637784 Jayalalithaa Was My Aunt. She Named Me.] NDTV news</ref> to Jayakumar (elder brother of [[J. Jayalalithaa]], former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu) and Vijayalakshmi. Her parents got married in 1972.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/jayalalithaa-deepa.html|title=Inheritance of loss|date=18 December 2016|website=the week|access-date=18 December 2016}}</ref> She was schooled in Adharsh Vidyalaya, Chennai. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Madras.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://myneta.info/candidate.php/candidate.php?myneta_folder=tamilnadu2016&candidate_id=4157&candidate_id=4157|title=Deepa.J(Independent(IND)):Constituency- DR.RADHAKRISHNAN NAGAR : BYE- ELECTION ON 12-04-2017(CHENNAI) - Affidavit Information of Candidate|website=myneta.info|access-date=2020-03-09}}</ref> She pursued her master's degree in journalism and mass communication in Madurai Kamarajar University.<ref name="auto"/> Later, she worked as a sub-editor in the New Indian Express and then went to the UK in 2010. She completed an M.A. in International Journalism at [[Cardiff University|Cardiff university]], in [[Wales]].

Deepa has a brother Deepak Jayakumar. Deepa's family resided in Veda Nilayam, Poes Garden together with J. Jayalalithaa till 1978.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/i-am-jayalalithaas-legal-heir-and-i-am-ready-fight-deepa-jayakumar-tnm-54131|title=I am Jayalalithaa's legal heir and I am ready to fight Deepa Jayakumar|last=|first=|date=10 December 2016|website=www.thenewsminute.com|access-date=2020-03-09}}</ref>

On 10 November 2022, Deepa announced that she gave birth to her girl child on 31 October 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|language=ta|url=https://www.maalaimalar.com/news/state/tamil-news-deepa-gave-baby-birth-at-velachery-hospital-532624|title=வேளச்சேரி மருத்துவமனையில் தீபாவுக்கு குழந்தை பிறந்தது|date=5 November 2022|website=maalaimalar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|language=ta|url=https://tamil.news18.com/news/chennai/jayalalitha-niece-deepa-jayakumar-confirms-child-birth-daughter-834042.html|title=ஜெயலலிதாவின் அண்ணன் மகள் ஜெ. தீபாவிற்கு பெண் குழந்தை!|date=10 November 2022|website=news18 tamil}}</ref>

== Career ==
After the death of her aunt Jayalalithaa, in front of Deepa's house, state political party [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam|AIADMK]] volunteers urged her to become party's general secretary, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and requested her to fill the place of her aunt. On 24 February 2017, on the occasion of Selvi. Jayalalithaa's birthday, she launched MGR Amma Deepa Peravai. She changed her federation name to AIADMK J. Deepa wing, a team of AIADMK.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/jayalalithaa-s-niece-deepa-jayakumar-announces-new-political-party-in-tamil-nadu/story-4V6iSA0GsmoDSiJYOJ0X0N.html|title=Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakumar announces new political party in Tamil Nadu|date=24 February 2017|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref> Husband K. Madhavan supports her with the federation, and is its Deputy General Secretary.

On 12 April 2017, she filed her nomination for R.K Nagar by-poll as an MAD Peravai candidate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/rk-nagar-bypoll-deepa-jayakumar-declares-assets-worth-rs-3-05-crore-4583720/|title=RK Nagar bypoll: Deepa Jayakumar declares assets worth Rs 3.05 crore|date=24 March 2017}}</ref> The by-poll was later cancelled. She filed again for the [[Radhakrishnan Nagar Assembly constituency#2017 By-election|21 December 2017 R. K Nagar by-election]]. Her nomination was rejected by the returning officer. Sources said Deepa's affidavit was not in order and that she had not filled all the columns, specifically the one seeking information on the value of her properties.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/rk-nagar-bypoll-papers-of-vishal-deepa-rejected/articleshow/61933447.cms|title=RK Nagar election: Papers of Vishal, Deepa Jayakumar rejected | Chennai News - Times of India|website=The Times of India|date=5 December 2017 }}</ref>

In March 2019, she said that her federation would contest alone for all 40 seats in Tamil Nadu. Later, she decided to tie-up with the AIADMK, saying her outfit belonged to the ruling party and even her followers were in favour of the alliance.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/tamil-nadu-news/jayalalithaas-niece-deepa-jayakumar-says-would-like-to-work-with-aiadmk-1973537|title="Would Like To Work With AIADMK": Jayalalithaa's Niece Deepa Jayakumar|website=NDTV.com}}</ref>

On 30 July 2019, she announced that she was quitting politics, for lack of support, threats, abuses, health issues and peace of mind. She officially dissolved the party on the same date and advised no one to contact her further.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2019/jul/30/jayalalithaas-niece-deepa-quits-politics-2011645.html|title=Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa quits politics|website=The New Indian Express|date=30 July 2019 |access-date=2019-07-30}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jayakumar, Deepa}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Women in Tamil Nadu politics]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian politicians]]

J. Deepa - Revision history

AryaShah at 16:35, 2 May 2026