Supriya Cheriyan: A life well lived – from Quit India rebel to nonagenarian icon, remembering the inspiring 'Didu'

CHENNAI: A Bengali woman who married a Malayali in the 1950s and lived in around 20 countries across the globe, Supriya Cheriyan passed away in October, just 23 days before her 100th birthday. A person ahead of her time, she witnessed the transformation of India from the pre-independence era to the advent of digitalisation. Remembering Supriya Cheriyan, affectionately called Didu by the Chennaiites, on her centenary birthday today.

Supriya was a rebel who participated in the Quit India Movement. “Not just Ma. My father, who was studying in south India, was given two options by his British principal: either quit college or stop supporting the Quit India Movement. My father chose the first option and moved to Kolkata, where he and Ma were classmates. Their ‘Two-State’ love story bloomed there, culminating in marriage only after five years, waiting for my paternal grandmother’s approval,” begins Aysha Rau, daughter of Supriya Cheriyan and founder of Little Theatre.

A snap of Didu, which made a Bengali director offer her role in three films

Rather than mourning her mother’s passing, Aysha and the family wish to celebrate the incredible life of Didu and set an example of how determination and straightforwardness add meaning to one’s life. “My mom and dad traveled to different countries because of my dad’s job. A person passionate about gardening, she grew her own vegetables wherever we lived,” Aysha recalls. Notably, Supriya was the first woman to drive a car in Somalia, Nairobi, and Kenya (during the pre-independence period). When most people avoided public toilets, Supriya was celebrated as the ‘Kakoos Amma’ by the locals of Thiruvananthapuram. “After my father retired in 1985, they moved back to Thiruvananthapuram. In 1987, she cleaned a public toilet, much to the astonishment of the residents. Since then, she has been affectionately called ‘Kakoos Amma’ by the people,” the playwright shares, taking us back to a time when class differences in society were more pronounced.

Surprisingly, ageing didn’t stop Supriya from pursuing her passions. It was during her 90s that she seized every opportunity that came her way. “Ma performed in Little Theatre’s Christmas Pantomime at the age of 92, did a commercial and a music video at 90, and acted in a short film at 95. With the Christmas Pantomime, she resumed her acting career after six decades. She always wanted to become an actor but never pursued it,” Aysha explains. A Bengali film director once approached Supriya to act in his films, but she declined.

Supriya Cheriyan

Until her early 90s, Supriya traveled the world independently. Didu always believed in serving humanity, and her go-to mantra was to forgive and forget in order to live a happy life. Over time, she experimented with everything she wanted to, including singing, playing the piano, and more, all in her 90s. Supriya was not just a smart and warm person, but also highly creative and spontaneous. She constantly updated herself with how the world around her transformed and focused solely on the positive aspects of life for longevity.

From her 99th birthday celebration

Rohini Rau, missing her grandmother, shares how much she drew inspiration from Supriya. “I was always her ‘Golden Girl.’ Her passion for helping others without expecting anything in return, and the way she stood up for herself, truly inspired me. I learned from her that no matter how many sorrows we face now, life has to go on. It is in our hands to make it a little better and happier. ‘Hope for the best and prepare for the worst,’ which she followed in her life, is now my driving force,” Rohini reflects.

This year’s Christmas Pantomime by Little Theatre will be dedicated to the ever-enthusiastic, curious, and eternal Didu.