Maniammai was born as Kanthimathi to Kanagasabai Mudaliar, who was a member of the
Justice Party. Soon after her father's death, she joined the
Dravidar Kazhagam founded by
Periyar in 1942–1943. Sources close to Periyar had indicated that Maniyammai, being a woman, could not be named his heir. So he took to the recourse of marrying her so that she could become his legal heir. His marriage with a much younger Maniammai and his appointment of her as his successor shocked many of his party leaders. ==References==