Introduction Chennai—formerly Madras—is the capital of Tamil Nadu and a gateway to South India. Set on the Coromandel Coast along the Bay of Bengal, the city blends deep antiquity, colonial legacies, and modern industry. It is a cultural capital for Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam, a national hub for automobiles, IT, health care, and finance, and the administrative heart of the state.

Origins and Name

• Early roots: Part of Tondaimandalam between the Pennar rivers, once ruled by Tondaiman Ilam Tiraiyan (2nd century CE), tied to Chola influence from Kanchipuram.
• Colonial foundation: The British East India Company established Fort St. George in 1644; the adjacent town grew into a presidency capital.
• Name history: “Chennapattanam” likely honors Damarla Chennappa Nayakudu or the Chenna Kesava Perumal Temple. “Madras” may derive from Madraspattinam or Portuguese/Madeira-related origins. The state officially adopted “Chennai” in 1996.

Historical Arc

• Ancient to medieval: Pallava-era sites (Mahabalipuram, Pallavaram), Dravidian temples (Kapaleeshwarar, Parthasarathy); coins and artifacts dating to c. 500 BCE.
• Colonial era: Became a major naval/administrative base; railways tied it to Bombay and Calcutta. The German cruiser SMS Emden shelled the city in 1914.
• Post-1947: Capital of Madras State (renamed Tamil Nadu in 1969). The 1965 anti-Hindi agitations reshaped state politics. The 2004 tsunami killed 206 in the city and altered the coast.

Geography and Environment

• Setting: Flat coastal plain (average elevation ~6.7 m); seismic Zone III.
• Rivers/canals: Cooum and Adyar traverse the city; Kortalaiyar skirts the north. The Buckingham Canal runs parallel to the coast. Adyar estuary shelters diverse birdlife.
• Soils and groundwater: Clay dominates much of the city; sandy belts along rivers/coast aid recharge. Groundwater table often 4–5 m below ground; rainwater harvesting is mandatory.
• Green and blue spaces: Guindy National Park lies within city limits. Green cover is ~4.5%. Per capita park space in old limits was ~0.41 sq m. The 358-acre Tholkappia Poonga restores the Adyar estuary; Semmozhi Poonga is a 20-acre botanical garden.

Urban Structure

• Broad regions: North (industrial), Central (historic core), South and West (fast-growing commercial/IT corridors).
• Growth axes: Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR/IT corridor), GST Road, Ambattur–Koyambedu–Sriperumbudur belt.
• Coastline: About 19 km in old limits; Marina Beach extends roughly 6 km between the Cooum and Adyar deltas; Elliot’s Beach lies further south.

Politics and Governance

• Political heritage: Seedbed of the Indian National Congress idea (1884) and of Dravidian movements (Justice Party, DK, DMK). Anti-Hindi agitations propelled Dravidian dominance from 1967 onward.
• Civic administration: The Chennai Corporation (est. 1688; among the world’s oldest) expanded in 2011 from 174 km² to 426 km² and 200 wards across North, Central, and South regions.
• Planning region: CMDA oversees a 1,189 km² metropolitan area spanning parts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, and Kanchipuram, with satellite towns like Sriperumbudur, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Mahabalipuram.

Law, Utilities, and Public Services

• Policing: Greater Chennai Police (170 stations, including 35 all-women stations as of 2011), Traffic Police for mobility management.
• Water and sanitation: Metro Water sources Red Hills and Chembarambakkam; major treatment at Kilpauk, Puzhal, Chembarambakkam. Citywide rainwater harvesting supports aquifers.
• Solid waste: About 4,500 tonnes/day; legacy dump yards at Kodungaiyur, Perungudi, and Pallikaranai, with plans for new regional facilities.
• Power and fire services: TNEB distributes electricity; 33 fire stations serve city and suburbs.

Architecture and Built Heritage

• Dravidian, Pallava, Chola, Vijayanagara temple architecture; surviving agraharam streets in Mylapore/Triplicane.
• Indo-Saracenic landmarks: Madras High Court, Ripon Building, Senate House, Government Museum, and more—many by Chisholm and Irwin.
• Gothic revival: Chennai Central and Egmore stations; Santhome Basilica (neo-Gothic, rebuilt 1893).
• Art deco in George Town from the 1930s; post-Independence modernism marked by the 1959 LIC Building.
• Height controls near port radar curbed central high-rises; taller towers rise on the periphery.

People and Housing

• Population (2011): City 4.65–4.68 million; urban agglomeration ~8.7–8.9 million. Sex ratio 951 females/1000 males; literacy ~90.3%.
• Density: City ~26,900/km²; metro ~5,900/km² (2001 figures for metro density).
• Diversity: Majority Tamil-speaking; sizeable Telugu, Urdu, and other communities; Hindus ~81%, Muslims ~9.4%, Christians ~7.6%, Jains ~1.1%.
• Housing snapshot (2011): ~1.1 million households; ~1.15 million dwelling units; ~43,700 vacant. About 200,000 units need rebuilding; significant LIG housing demand.

Arts, Culture, and Media

• Music and dance: The Madras Music Season (Dec–Jan) gathers hundreds of Carnatic performers; Kalakshetra anchors Bharatanatyam.
• Theatre and cinema: Kollywood (Tamil film industry) is city-based; AVM is among India’s oldest studios; ~120 cinema screens (2012).
• Media: English dailies include The Hindu, The New Indian Express, Deccan Chronicle, The Times of India; the city’s press heritage dates to The Madras Courier (1785).

Tourism, Leisure, and Recreation

• Attractions: Beaches (Marina, Elliot’s), temples (Mylapore, Triplicane), colonial precincts (Fort St. George), museums, and the UNESCO site of nearby Mahabalipuram.
• Zoological and nature sites: Arignar Anna Zoological Park (Vandalur), Guindy National Park, Snake Park, children’s park.
• Theme parks and clubs: MGM Dizzee World, VGP, Queens Land; Madras Boat Club (est. 1867), Gymkhana, golf courses.

Economy

• Multi-sector hub: Automobiles and components (~30–40% national share clustered in and around Chennai), IT/ITeS (among India’s top software export cities), electronics (largest hardware exporter share circa 2010–11), leather (over half of national exports), finance, health care, media.
• Industrial anchors: Hyundai, Renault-Nissan, Ashok Leyland, Daimler, Ford, BMW, Caterpillar, ICF (rail coaches), HVF (defense).
• IT and research: TIDEL Park (flagship IT campus), OMR/Siruseri corridor; global captives and banks’ back offices; biotech clusters at Taramani and Siruseri.
• Health care: India’s “health capital,” drawing 30–45% of domestic/international medical tourists; >12,500 beds (public ~6,000; private ~5,000+, with rapid expansion by 2012).

Infrastructure and Connectivity

• International cables: Major submarine systems land in Chennai (SMW4, i2i, TIC, BRICS), making it a key global internet gateway.
• Banking legacy: From the 1683 Madras Bank to the Presidency Bank of Madras, later part of State Bank of India; HQs of Indian Bank and Indian Overseas Bank; RBI South Zonal Office.
• Trade and exhibitions: Chennai Trade Centre at Nandambakkam supports conventions and industry fairs.

Transport

• Air: Chennai International Airport handled ~12.9 million passengers (2011–12), with over 300 daily flights; modernization and greenfield plan at Sriperumbudur were proposed to manage growth.
• Rail: HQ of Southern Railway; Chennai Central and Egmore are principal termini. Suburban rail spans four sectors; MRTS is largely elevated from Beach to Velachery. Phase I of Chennai Metro opened in stages from 2015 to 2016, connecting Koyambedu–Alandur–St. Thomas Mount and Airport–Little Mount segments.
• Road: Four National Highways radiate from the city (to Mumbai via Bengaluru, Kolkata via Bhubaneswar, Theni via Tiruchirappalli, and Anantapur via Tirupati). Major interchanges include Kathipara and Gemini flyovers. The MTC runs ~3,400–3,500 buses over 700+ routes, serving 5.5+ million daily trips. CMBT is among Asia’s largest bus termini.
• Sea: Chennai Port is the largest on the Bay of Bengal, a key container and automobile hub; Ennore (Kamarajar) Port specializes in bulk cargo. Royapuram supports fisheries; Kattupalli shipyard was under development.

Education and Research

• Schooling: Public and private schools offer Tamil and English streams (also Telugu/Urdu), with affiliations spanning State Board, CBSE, CISCE, and NIOS.
• Higher education: University of Madras, Anna University, IIT Madras, Officers Training Academy, and national research labs (CLRI, SERC). Libraries include Connemara (national depository) and the Anna Centenary Library.
• Book culture: The annual Chennai Book Fair is the largest platform for Tamil publishers.

Sports

• Cricket: M. A. Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) is among India’s oldest Test venues; home of the Chennai Super Kings; MRF Pace Foundation trains fast bowlers.
• Tennis and hockey: Chennai Open (ATP) hosted at SDAT Stadium; international hockey at Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium.
• Motorsport and more: The Sriperumbudur track hosts racing; rowing at Madras Boat Club; horse racing at Guindy; multi-sport Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium; rugby, football, aquatics, and golf have long-standing bases.

At a Glance: Key 2011–2012 Stats

• City population: ~4.65–4.68 million; metro ~8.7–8.9 million
• Literacy: ~90.3% (city); Sex ratio: 951 F/1000 M
• Police strength (2011): ~14,000; 1 policeman per ~413 residents
• Parks: ~260 in old limits; green cover ~4.5%
• Airport: 12.9 million passengers; 120,127 aircraft movements (2011–12)
• Ports: Chennai ~61.46 million tonnes cargo; 1.523 million TEUs (2010–11)
• Buses: ~3,400–3,500 (MTC); daily ridership ~5.5 million

Timeline Highlights

• 1639–40: Madras founded; Fort St. George established
• 1688: Municipal Corporation inaugurated
• 1856–57: First railway (Royapuram–Arcot); University of Madras founded
• 1892: Madras High Court building
• 1914: Kilpauk waterworks; city shelled by SMS Emden
• 1959: LIC Building completed
• 1972: MMDA (now CMDA) formed
• 1983: Zoo shifted to Vandalur
• 2011: Corporation expands to 426 km²
• 2015–16: Chennai Metro Phase I sections open

Chennai today is a city of contrasts—ancient temples and modern IT parks, sandy beaches and growing skylines, classical music sabhas and global auto plants. Its distinctive blend of culture, commerce, and community makes it one of India’s most consequential metros.