Chennai

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?Chennai (Madras)
Tamil Nadu • India

Chennai Central Station

Chennai (Madras)
Coordinates: 13°05′N 80°16′E / 13.09, 80.27
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
• Metro
• Elevation 181.06 km² (70 sq mi)[1]
• 1,180 km² (456 sq mi)
• 6 m (20 ft)
District(s) • Chennai
• Kanchipuram
• Tiruvallur
Population
• Density
• Metro 4.34 million (5th) (2001[update])
• 14,350 /km² (37,166 /sq mi)
• 7.5 million (4th) (2007)
Mayor M. Subramaniam
Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni
Codes
• Pincode
• Telephone
• UN/LOCODE
• Vehicle
• 600 xxx
• +91 44
• INMAA
• TN-01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 10 ,20,21,22
Website: http://www.chennaicorporation.gov.in/

Seal of the Corporation of Chennai

Coordinates: 13°05′N 80°16′E / 13.09, 80.27
Chennai (Tamil: ெென்ைன formerly known as Madras (help·info), is the fourth
largest metropolitan area of India and the capital city of the Indian state of
Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai had a
population of 4.2 million in the 2001 census within its municipal corporation.[2]
The urban agglomeration of Chennai has an estimated population of 7.5
million,[dubious – discuss] making it the fourth largest agglomeration in India.

The city was established in the 17th century by the British, who developed it into
a major urban centre and naval base. By the 20th century, it had become an
important administrative centre, as the capital of the Madras Presidency.

Chennai's economy has a broad industrial base in the automobile, technology,

hardware manufacturing, and healthcare industries. The city is home to much of
India's automobile industry and is the country's second-largest exporter of
Software, information technology (IT) and information-technology-enabled services
(ITES), behind Bangalore.[3][4] [5] [6] Chennai Zone contributes 39 per cent of
the State’s GDP. Chennai accounts for 60 per cent of the country’s automotive
exports and is sometimes referred to as Detroit of India.[7][8][9]

The city is served by an international airport and two major ports; it is

connected to the rest of the country by five national highways and two railway
terminals. Thirty-five countries have consulates in Chennai. [10]

Chennai hosts a large cultural event, the annual Madras Music Season, which
includes performances by hundreds of artists. The city has a vibrant theatre scene
and is an important centre for the Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form. The
Tamil film industry, known as Kollywood, is based in the city; the soundtracks of
the movies dominate its music scene. Chennai is known for its sport venues and
hosts an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) event, the Chennai Open. The
city faces problems of water shortages, traffic congestion and air pollution. The
state and local governments have undertaken initiatives such as the Veeranam
project, Rainwater harvesting and the construction of mini-flyovers to address
some of these problems.

Contents [hide]
1 Names
2 History
3 Geography and climate
4 Administration and utility services
5 Economy
6 Demographics
7 Culture
8 Transport
9 Media
10 Education
11 Sports
12 Sister cities
13 See also
14 Notes
15 External links

[edit] Names
The name Chennai is an eponym, etymologically derived from Chennapattinam or
Chennapattanam, the name of the town that grew up around Fort St. George, built by
the British in 1640. There are different versions about the origin of the name.
When the British landed here in 1639 A.D. it was said to be part of the empire of
the Raja of Chandragiri. The British named it Chennapatnam after they acquired it
from Chennappa Nayaka, a Vijayanagar chieftain. Gradually, the name was shortened
to Chennai. The first instance of the use of the name Chennai is said to be in a
sale deed dated August 1639 to Francis Day, an agent for the British where there
is a reference to Chennaipattinam. [11]

Although some believe Chennapattinam was named after the Chenna Kesava Perumal
Temple, as the word Chenni in Tamil means face, and the temple was thought of as
the face of the city.[12]

The former name, Madras, is derived from Madraspattinam, a fishing village that
lay to the north of Fort St. George. The origin of the name Madraspattinam is a
subject of disagreement. One theory holds that the Portuguese, who arrived in the
area in the 16th century, may have named the village Madre de Deus.[13] However,
historians believe that the village's name came from the once prominent Madeiros
family (variously known as Madera or Madra in succeeding years), who had
consecrated the Madre de Deus church in Santhome in 1575 (demolished in 1997).
Another theory says that the village was named after an Islamic college (a
madrasa) which was located in the area. After the British gained possession of the
area in the 17th century, the two towns, Madraspattinam and Chennapattinam,
eventually merged. The British referred to the united town as Madraspattinam,
while the locals preferred to call it Chennapattinam.[14]

The city was officially renamed Chennai in 1996,[15] about the same time that many
Indian cities were undergoing name changes. Madras was seen as a Portuguese
name.[16]

[edit] History
Main article: History of Chennai

Madras Central Railway Station, 1925The region around Chennai has served as an
important administrative, military, and economic centre since the 1st century.[11]
It has been ruled by various South Indian dynasties, notably the Pallava, the
Chola, the Pandya, and Vijaynagar.[11] The town of Mylapore, now part of Chennai,
was once a major Pallavan port. The Portuguese arrived in 1522 and built a port
called São Tomé after the Christian apostle, St Thomas,[17] who is believed to
have preached in the area between 52 and 70 CE. In 1612, the Dutch established
themselves near Pulicat, just north of the city.

On August 22, 1639, Francis Day of the British East India Company bought a small
strip of land on the Coromandel Coast from the Vijayanagara King, Peda Venkata
Raya in Chandragiri. The region was ruled by Damerla Venkatapathy, the Nayak of
Vandavasi.[11] He granted the British permission to build a factory and warehouse
for their trading enterprises. A year later, the British built Fort St George,
which became the nucleus of the growing colonial city.[11] In 1746, Fort St.
George and Madras were captured by the French under General La Bourdonnais, the
Governor of Mauritius, who plundered the town and its outlying villages.[17] The
British regained control in 1749 through the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and
fortified the town's fortress wall to withstand further attacks from the French
and another looming threat, Hyder Ali, the Sultan of Mysore. By the late 18th
century, the British had conquered most of the region around Tamil Nadu and the
northern modern-day states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, establishing the
Madras Presidency with Madras as the capital.[18] Under British rule, the city
grew into a major urban centre and naval base.

Victoria Public Hall at Park Town, Chennai - one of the finest examples of British
architecture in the cityWith the advent of railways in India in the late 19th
century, the thriving urban centre was connected to other important cities such as
Bombay and Calcutta, promoting increased communication and trade with the
hinterland. Madras was briefly under Portuguese and French rule during 16th & 18th
century.

Madras was the only Indian city to be attacked by the Central Powers during World
War I, when an oil depot was shelled by the German light cruiser SMS Emden on
September 22, 1914, as it raided shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean, causing
disruption to shipping.[19] After India gained its independence in 1947, the city
became the capital of Madras State, renamed the state of Tamil Nadu in 1969. The
violent agitations of 1965 against the imposition of Hindi as the national
language, marked a major shift in the political dynamics of the city and the whole
state.[20]

In 2004, an Indian Ocean tsunami lashed the shores of Chennai, killing many and
permanently altering the coastline.[21]
[edit] Geography and climate
Main article: Geography of Chennai
See also: List of neighbourhoods in Chennai and Flora and fauna of Chennai

Chennai is on a flat coastal plain, as shown on this Landsat 7 map.Chennai is on

the southeast coast of India in the northeast of Tamil Nadu on a flat coastal
plain known as the Eastern Coastal Plains. Its average elevation is around 6.7
metres (20 ft),[22] and its highest point is 60 m (200 ft).[23] The Marina Beach
runs for 12 km along the shoreline of the city. Two rivers meander through
Chennai, the Cooum River (or Koovam) through the centre and the Adyar River to the
south. A third river, the Kortalaiyar, flows through the northern fringes of the
city before draining into the sea at Ennore. Adyar and Cooum rivers are heavily
polluted with effluents and waste from domestic and commercial sources. The state
government periodically removes silt and pollution from the Adyar, which is much
less polluted than the Cooum. A protected estuary on the Adyar forms a natural
habitat for several species of birds and animals.[24][25] The Buckingham Canal, 4
km (3 miles) inland, runs parallel to the coast, linking the two rivers. The
Otteri Nullah, an east-west stream, runs through north Chennai and meets the
Buckingham Canal at Basin Bridge. Several lakes of varying size are located on the
western fringes of the city. Red Hills, Sholavaram and Chembarambakkam Lake supply
Chennai with potable water. Groundwater sources are becoming brackish.[26]

Chennai's soil is mostly clay, shale and sandstone.[27] Sandy areas are found
along the river banks and coasts, such as Tiruvanmiyur, Adyar, Kottivakkam,
Santhome, George Town, Tondiarpet and the rest of coastal Chennai. Here rainwater
runoff percolates quickly through the soil. Clay underlies most of the city
including T. Nagar, West Mambalam, Anna Nagar, Perambur and Virugambakkam. Areas
of hard rock include Guindy, Velachery, Adambakkam and a part of Saidapet.[28]

Climate chart for

Chennai
J F M A M J J A S O N D
36 3020 10 3120 7 3322 15 3526 26 3928 37 3827 91 3626 116 3526
119 3426 306 3224 355 3022 138 2921
temperatures in °C
precipitation totals in mm
source: Nirvana Tour[29]
Imperial conversion[show]
J F M A M J J A S O N D
1.4 8667 0.4 8868 0.3 9172 0.6 9579 1 10182 1.5 10081 3.6 9779 4.6
9579 4.7 9379 12 9075 14 8672 5.4 8469
temperatures in °F
precipitation totals in inches

Chennai is divided into four parts: North, Central, South and West. North Chennai
is primarily an industrial area. Central Chennai is the commercial heart of the
city and includes an important business district, Parry's Corner. South Chennai
and West Chennai, previously mostly residential, are fast becoming commercial,
home to a growing number of information technology firms, financial companies and
call centres. The city is expanding quickly along the Old Mahabalipuram Road and
the Grand Southern Trunk Road (GST Road) in the south and towards Ambattur,
Koyambedu and Sriperumbdur in the west.[30] Chennai is one of the few cities in
the world that accommodates a national park, the Guindy National Park, within its
limits.[31]

Chennai lies on the thermal equator and is also coastal, which prevents extreme
variation in seasonal temperature. For most of the year, the weather is hot and
humid. The hottest part of the year is late May and early June, known locally as
Agni Nakshatram ("fire star") or as Kathiri Veyyil,[32] with maximum temperatures
around 38–42 °C (100–107 °F). The coolest part of the year is January, with
minimum temperatures around 19–20 °C (66–68 °F). The lowest temperature recorded
is 15.8 °C (60.44 °F) and highest 45 °C (113 °F).[33][34] The average annual
rainfall is about 1,300 mm (51 inches). The city gets most of its seasonal
rainfall from the north-east monsoon winds, from mid-September to mid-December.
Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal sometimes hit the city. Highest annual rainfall
recorded is 2,570 mm (101 in) in 2005.[35] The most prevailing winds in Chennai
are the South-westerly between May and September and the North-easterly during the
rest of the year.

[edit] Administration and utility services

City officials, as of September 2007[36][37]
Mayor Ma. Subramanian
Deputy Mayor R. Sathya Bama
Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni
Commissioner of Police R. Sekar
Main article: Administration of Chennai
See also: Chennai architecture and Subdivisions of India
Chennai city is governed by the Corporation of Chennai, consisting of 155
councillors who represent 155 wards and are directly elected by the city's
residents. From among themselves, the councillors elect a mayor and a deputy mayor
who preside over about six standing committees.[38] Chennai, the capital of Tamil
Nadu state, houses the state executive and legislative headquarters primarily in
the Secretariat Buildings on the Fort St George campus but also in many other
buildings scattered around the city. The Madras High Court, whose jurisdiction
extends across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, is the highest judicial authority in the
state and is also in the city. Chennai has three parliamentary constituencies—
Chennai North, Chennai Central and Chennai South—and elects 18 Members of the
Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to the state legislature.

Chennai Metropolitan Police PatrolThe metropolitan region of Chennai covers many

suburbs that are part of Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur districts. The larger suburbs
are governed by town municipalities, and the smaller ones are governed by town
councils called panchayats. While the city covers an area of 174 km² (67 mi²),[39]
the metropolitan area is spread over 1,189 km² (458 mi²).[40] The Chennai
Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has drafted a Second Master Plan that
aims to develop satellite townships around the city. Contiguous satellite towns
include Mahabalipuram to the south, Chengalpattu and Maraimalai Nagar to the
southwest, and Kanchipuram town, Sriperumpudur, Tiruvallur and Arakkonam to the
west.

The Greater Chennai Police department, a division of the Tamil Nadu Police, is the
law enforcement agency in the city. The city police force is headed by a
commissioner of police, and administrative control rests with the Tamil Nadu Home
Ministry. The department consists of 36 subdivisions with a total of 121 police
stations, of which 15 are ISO 9001:2000 certified.[41] The city's traffic is
managed by the Chennai City Traffic Police (CCTP). The Metropolitan suburbs are
policed by the Chennai Metropolitan Police, and outer district areas are policed
by the Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur police departments.

Ripon Building, which houses the Chennai Corporation, was completed 1913. It is
named after former viceroy Lord Ripon.The Corporation of Chennai and
municipalities of the suburbs provide civic services. Garbage in most zones is
handled by JBM Fanalca Environment Management, a private company, and by the
Chennai Corporation in the other zones. Water supply and sewage treatment are
handled by the Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board, popularly referred to
as Metro Water. Electricity is supplied by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.[42]
The city's telephone service is provided by six mobile phone companies and four
landline companies,[43][44] which also provide broadband Internet access, along
with Sify and Hathway.

Historically, Chennai has relied on annual monsoon rains to replenish water

reservoirs, as no major rivers flow through the area. Steadily growing in
population, the city has faced water supply shortages, and its ground water levels
have been depleted. An earlier Veeranam Lake project failed to solve the city's
water problems, but the New Veeranam project, which became operational in
September 2004, has greatly reduced dependency on distant sources.[45] In recent
years, heavy and consistent monsoon rains and rainwater harvesting (RWH) by
Chennai Metrowater at its Anna Nagar Rain Centre have significantly reduced water
shortages.[46] Moreover, newer projects like the Telugu Ganga project that bring
water from water-surplus rivers like the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh have
eased water shortages. The city is constructing sea water desalination plants to
further increase the water supply.[47][48]

[edit] Economy
Main article: Economy of Chennai
See also: List of Tech Parks in Chennai

Parry's Corner, one of the older business districts in ChennaiChennai has a

diversified economic base anchored by the automobile, software services, hardware
manufacturing, healthcare and financial services industries.[49] As of 2000, the
city's total personal income was Rs. 12,488.83 crores, making up 10.9% of the
total income of Tamil Nadu.[50] In 2001, the total workforce in Chennai was about
1.5 million, which was 31.79% of its population. According to the 1991 census,
most of the city's workforce was involved in trade (25.65%), manufacturing
(23.52%), transportation (10.72%), construction (6.3%) and other services (31.8%).
Chennai metropolitan area accounts for over 75% of the sales tax revenue in the
state[51]. According to the CII, Chennai's is estimated to grow to a $100-billion
economy, 2.5 times its present size, by the year 2025[52].

The city is base to around 30% of India's automobile industry[53] and 35% of its
auto components industry.[54] A large number of automotive companies including
Hyundai, Ford, BMW, Mitsubishi, The TVS Group (TVS), Ashok Leyland, Nissan-
Renault, TI Cycles of India, TAFE Tractors, Royal Enfield, Caterpillar Inc.,
Caparo and Madras Rubber Factory (MRF), have manufacturing plants in and around
Chennai. The Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi produces military vehicles, including
India's main battle tank: Arjun MBT. The Integral Coach Factory manufactures
railway coaches and other rolling stock for Indian Railways. This very industrial
expanse has given the name to Chennai as being the "Detroit of Southern Asia".[55]
The Ambattur-Padi industrial zone houses many textile manufacturers, and an SEZ
for apparel and footwear manufacture has been set up in the southern suburbs of
the city.[56] Chennai contributes more than 50% of India's leather exports.[57]

Tidel Park is one of the many software parks in Chennai.The city is an electronics
manufacturing hub where multinational corporations like Dell, Nokia, Motorola,
Samsung, Flextronics and Foxconn have set up electronics and hardware
manufacturing plants, mainly in the Sriperumbudur Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
Many software and software services companies have development centres in Chennai,
which contributed 14% of India's total software exports of Rs.144,214 crores
during 2006–07, making it the second-largest exporter of software in the country,
behind Bangalore.[58] Prominent financial institutions, including the World Bank,
HSBC, Citi bank have back office operations in the city.[59] Chennai is home to
three large national level commercial banks[60][61][62] and many state level co-
operative banks, finance and insurance companies. Some of India's well-known
healthcare institutions such as Apollo Hospitals (the largest private healthcare
provider in Asia),[63] Sankara Nethralaya and Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre are
based in the city, making it one of the preferred destinations for medical
tourists from across the globe.[64] Telecom giants Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent,
pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer and chemicals giant Dow Chemicals have research and
development facilities in Chennai. TICEL bio-tech park[65] and Golden Jubilee bio-
tech park[66] at Siruseri house biotechnology companies and laboratories. Chennai
has a fully computerised stock exchange called the Madras Stock Exchange.

[edit] Demographics

Ranganathan Street in T.Nagar is usually packed with pedestrian shoppers.A

resident of Chennai is called a Chennaiite. As of 2001, Chennai city had a
population of 4.34 million, while the total metropolitan population was 7.04
million.[67] The estimated metropolitan population in 2006 is 4.5 million.[68] In
2001, the population density in the city was 24,682 per km² (9,534 per mi²), while
the population density of the metropolitan area was 5,922 per km² (2,287 mi²),
making it one of the most densely populated cities in the world.[67][69] The sex
ratio is 951 females for every 1,000 males,[70] slightly higher than the national
average of 934.[71] The average literacy rate is 80.14%,[72] much higher than the
national average of 64.5%. The city has the fourth highest population of slum
dwellers among major cities in India, with about 820,000 people (18.6% of its
population) living in slum conditions.[73] This number represents about 5% of the
total slum population of India. In 2005, the crime rate in the city was 313.3 per
100,000 people, accounting for 6.2% of all crimes reported in major cities in
India.[74] The number of crimes in the city showed a significant increase of 61.8%
from 2004.[75]

The majority of the population in Chennai are Tamils and Tamil is the primary
language spoken in Chennai. English is widely spoken especially in business,
education and white collar professions. Sizeable Telugu and Malayalee communities
live in the city.[76] Chennai also has a large migrant population, who come from
other parts of Tamil Nadu and the rest of the country. As of 2001, out of the
937,000 migrants (21.57% of its population) in the city, 74.5% were from other
parts of the state, 23.8% were from rest of India and 1.7% were from outside the
country.[77] According to the 2001 census, Hindus constitute about 82.27% of the
city's population, and Muslims (8.37%), Christians (7.63%) and Jains (1.05%) are
other major religious groups.[78]

[edit] Culture

A traditional Bharata natyam performanceMain articles: Culture of Chennai and

Cuisine of Chennai
See also: Tamil cuisine
Chennai's culture reflects its diverse population. The city is known for its
classical dance shows and Hindu temples. Every December, Chennai holds a five-week
long Music Season celebrating the 1927 opening of the Madras Music Academy.[79] It
features performances (kutcheries) of traditional Carnatic music by hundreds of
artists in and around the city. An arts festival called the Chennai Sangamam,
which showcases various arts of Tamil Nadu is held in January every year. Chennai
is also known for Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form that originated in Tamil
Nadu. An important cultural centre for Bharatanatyam is Kalakshetra, on the beach
in the south of the city.[80]

Chennai is the base for the large Tamil movie industry, dubbed Kollywood after
Kodambakkam, home to most of the movie studios.[81] The industry makes more than
150 Tamil movies a year,[82] and its soundtracks dominate the city's music.
Chennai's theatres stage many Tamil plays; political satire, slapstick comedy,
history, mythology and drama are among the popular genres.[83][84][85] English
plays are also staged in the city.

Among Chennai's festivals, Pongal is celebrated over five days in January, is the
most important. Tamil New Year's Day, signifying the beginning of the Tamil year,
usually falls on April 14. Almost all major religious festivals such as Deepavali,
Eid and Christmas are celebrated in Chennai. Tamil cuisine in Chennai includes
vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Many of the city's restaurants offer light
meals or tiffin, which usually include rice-based dishes like pongal, dosa, idli
and vadai, served with steaming hot filter coffee.

[edit] Transport
Main article: Transport in Chennai

The IT Highway in Chennai with the MRTS passing overhead.The Chennai International
Airport, comprising the Anna international terminal and the Kamaraj domestic
terminal, is the third busiest airport in India.[86][87] The city is connected to
major hubs in South Asia, South East Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, Europe and
North America through more than 30 national and international carriers. The
airport is the second busiest cargo terminus in the country. The existing airport
is undergoing further modernisation and expansion, and a new greenfield airport is
to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore in Sriperumbudur.[88]

The city is served by two major ports, Chennai Port, one of the largest artificial
ports, and Ennore Port. The Chennai port is India's second busiest container hub,
handling automobiles, motorcycles and general industrial cargo. The Ennore Port
handles cargo such as coal, ore and other bulk and rock mineral products.[89] A
smaller harbour at Royapuram is used by local fishing boats and trawlers.

MRTS Train station in ChennaiChennai is well connected to other parts of India by

road and rail. Five major national highways radiate outward towards Mumbai,
Kolkata, Trichy, Tiruvallur and Pondicherry.[90] The Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus
(CMBT), the terminus for all intercity buses from Chennai, is the largest bus
station in Asia.[91] Seven government-owned transport corporations operate inter-
city and inter-state bus services. Many private inter-city and inter-state bus
companies also operate services to and from Chennai.

The city has two main railway terminals. Chennai Central station, the city's
largest, provides access to trains to major cities like Mumbai, Kolkata,
Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram as well as to smaller towns
across India.[92] Chennai Egmore is a terminus for trains traveling primarily
within Tamil Nadu; it also handles a few inter-state trains.[93]

Buses, trains, and auto rickshaws are the most common form of public transport
within the city.

One of the newer MTC busesThe Chennai suburban railway network consists of four
broad gauge rail sectors terminating at two locations in the city, namely Chennai
Central and Chennai Beach. Regular services are offered in the following sectors
from these terminii: Chennai Central/Chennai Beach - Arakkonam - Tiruttani,
Chennai Central/Chennai Beach – Gummidipoondi - Sullurpeta and Chennai Beach –
Tambaram - Chengalpattu - Tirumalpur(Kanchipuram). The fourth sector is an
elevated Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) which links Chennai Beach to Velachery
and is interlinked with the remaining rail network. The city has plans for an
underground Metro.[94]

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) runs an extensive city bus system
consisting of 3,093 buses on 617 routes and transports an estimated 4 million
passengers daily.[95] Vans, popularly known as Maxi Cabs and 'share' auto
rickshaws ply many routes in the city and provide an alternative to buses. Metered
call taxis, tourist taxis and auto rickshaws are also available on hire. Chennai's
transportation infrastructure provides coverage and connectivity, but growing use
has caused traffic congestion and pollution. The government has tried to address
these problems by constructing flyovers at major intersections, starting with the
Gemini flyover, built in 1973 over the most important arterial road, Anna
Salai.[96][97]

[edit] Media
Main article: Media in Chennai
See also: List of Tamil language television channels
Newspaper publishing started in Chennai with the launch of a weekly, The Madras
Courier, in 1785.[98] It was followed by the weeklies The Madras Gazzette and The
Government Gazzette in 1795. The Spectator, founded in 1836, was the first English
newspaper in Chennai to be owned by an Indian and became the city's first daily
newspaper in 1853.[99] The first Tamil newspaper, Swadesamitran, was launched in
1899.[98]

The major English dailies published in Chennai are The Hindu, The New Indian
Express, The Deccan Chronicle and The Times of India recently joined the list. The
evening dailies are, The Trinity Mirror and The News Today. As of 2004, The Hindu
was the city's most read English newspaper, with a daily circulation of
267,349.[100] The major business dailies published from the city are The Economic
Times, The Hindu Business Line, Business Standard, and The Financial Express. The
major Tamil dailies include the Dina Thanthi, Dinakaran, Dina Mani, Dina Malar,
Tamil Murasu, Makkal Kural and Malai Malar and major Telugu dailies include
Eenandu, Vaartha, Andhra Jyothi and Sakshi .[101] Neighbourhood newspapers such as
The Annanagar Times and The Adyar Times cater to particular localities. Magazines
published from Chennai include Ananda Vikatan, Kumudam, Kalki, Kungumam, Swathi
(Telugu magazine), Frontline and Sportstar.

Doordarshan runs two terrestrial television channels and two satellite television
channels from its Chennai centre, which was set up in 1974. Private Tamil
satellite television networks like Sun TV, Raj TV, Raj Digital Plus, Star Vijay,
Jaya TV, Makkal TV and Kalaignar TV broadcast out of Chennai. The Sun Network one
of India's largest broadcasting companies is based in the city. While SCV and
Hathway are the major cable TV service providers, Direct-to-home (DTH) is
available via DD Direct Plus, Dish TV, Tata Sky, Reliance Big TV and Sun
Direct.[102][103] Chennai is the first city in India to have implemented the
Conditional Access System for cable television.[104] Radio broadcasting started
from the radio station at the Rippon Buildings complex, founded in 1930 and was
then shifted to All India Radio in 1938.[98] The city has two AM and ten FM radio
stations, operated by Anna University, All India Radio and private
broadcasters.[105].
[edit] Education
Main article: Education in Chennai
See also: Schools in Chennai and Education in India

The main entrance to Anna UniversitySchools in Chennai are either run publicly by
the Tamil Nadu government or privately, some with financial aid from the
government.[106] The medium of education is either English or Tamil. Most schools
are affiliated with the Tamil Nadu State Board, the Matriculation Board or the
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).[107] A few schools are affiliated
with the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) board, Anglo-Indian
board or the Montessori system. Schooling begins at the age of three with two
years of kindergarten followed by ten years of primary and secondary education.
Students then need to complete two years of higher secondary education in either
science or commerce before being eligible for college education in a general or
professional field of study.[108][109] There are 1,389 schools in the city, out of
which 731 are primary, 232 are secondary and 426 are higher secondary
schools.[110]

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and College of Engineering,
Guindy, Anna University, founded in 1794 are two well known centres for
engineering education in the city; most city colleges that offer engineering
programs are affiliated with Anna University. Madras Medical College (MMC),
Stanley Medical College (SMC), Kilpauk Medical College and Sri Ramachandra Medical
College and Research Institute (SRMC) are the notable medical colleges in Chennai.

Colleges for science, arts and commerce degrees are typically affiliated with the
University of Madras, which has three campuses in the city; some colleges such as
Madras Christian College, Loyola College and The New College are autonomous.
Research institutions like the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), the
Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CEERI) and the Institute for
Financial Management and Research (IFMR) are in the city. The Connemara Public
Library is one of four National Depository Centres in India that receive a copy of
all newspapers and books published in India.[111] It has been declared a UNESCO
information centre.[112]

[edit] Sports
Main article: Sport in Chennai

An IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in progress at
M.A. Chidambaram Cricket StadiumCricket is the most popular sport in Chennai.[113]
The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium (MAC) in Chepauk is one of the oldest cricket
stadiums in India.[114] The Chemplast Cricket Ground on the IIT Madras campus is
another important venue hosting first class matches. Plans are also underway to
build the World's largest cricket stadium, in term of capacity, near Chennai,
which would be ready for the 2011 Cricket World Cup [115]. Prominent cricketers
from the city include former Test-captains S. Venkataraghavan and Kris
Srikkanth.[116][117] A cricket fast bowling academy, the MRF Pace Foundation,
whose coaches include Dennis Lillee, is based in Chennai.[118][119] Chennai is
home to the Indian Premier League cricket team, the Chennai Super Kings. Chennai
is also home to the Indian Cricket League team, the Chennai Superstars, who won
the first ever ICL 20s championship and the ICL Domestic 50s.[120][121]

The Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium is regarded by the International Hockey Federation

as one of the best in the world for its state-of-the-art infrastructure. The city
is home to a Premier Hockey League (PHL) team, the Chennai Veerans, and has hosted
many hockey tournaments such as the Asia Cup and the Men's Champions
Trophy.[122][123]

ATP Chennai Open - Centre Court at the SDAT Tennis Stadium complexChennai has
produced popular tennis players such as Vijay Amritraj and Ramesh
Krishnan[124][125][126] and is host to an Association of Tennis Professionals
(ATP) event, the Chennai Open.[127] Football and athletic competitions are held at
the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which also houses a multi-purpose indoor complex for
competition in volleyball, basketball and table tennis. Water sports are played in
the Velachery Aquatic Complex. Chennai was the venue of the South Asian Games (SAF
Games) in 1995.[128]

Auto racing in India has been closely connected with Chennai since its beginnings
shortly after independence. Motor racing events are held on a special purpose
track in Irungattukottai, Sriperumbudur,[129] which has also been the venue for
several international competitions.[130] Horse racing is held at the Guindy Race
Course, while rowing competitions are hosted at the Madras Boat Club. The city has
two 18-hole golf courses, the Cosmopolitan Club and the Gymkhana Club, both
established in the late nineteenth century. Viswanathan Anand, the chess World
champion and the world's top ranked chess player as of October 2007, grew up in
Chennai.[131] [132] [133]

Other athletes of repute from Chennai include table tennis players Sharath
Kamal[134] and two-time world carrom champion, Maria Irudayam.[135] The city has a
rugby union team called the Chennai Cheetahs.[136]

[edit] Sister cities

Denver, United States[137]
San Antonio, United States, since February 2007
Frankfurt, Germany, since 2005
Volgograd, Russia, since 1966[138]