Chennai

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  Chennai
Tamil Nadu • India
The landmark Chennai Central Station
The landmark Chennai Central Station
Map indicating the location of Chennai
Thumbnail map of India with Tamil Nadu highlighted
Location of Chennai
 Chennai 
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)
• 1,180 km² (456 sq mi)
• 6 m (20 ft)
District(s)  • Chennai
 • Kanchipuram
 • Tiruvallur
Population
• Density
• Metro 		4.34 million (5th) (2001)
• 24,418 /km² (63,242 /sq mi)
• 7.5 million (4th) (2007)
Mayor M. Subramaniam
Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni
Codes
• Pincode
• Telephone
• UN/LOCODE
• Vehicle
• 600 xxx
• +91 44
• INMAA
• TN-01, 02, 04, 05, 07, 09, 10
Website: www.chennaicorporation.com

Coordinates: 13°05′N 80°16′E / 13.09, 80.27

Chennai (Tamil: சென்னை), formerly known as Madras ▶, the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, sits on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. With an estimated population of 7.5 million (2007), it has the fourth largest metropolitan city in India and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world.[1]

The British established the city in the seventeenth century, developing it into a major urban center and naval base. By the twentieth century, it had become an important administrative center, as the capital of the Madras Presidency.

Chennai's economy has a broad industrial base in the automobile, technology, hardware manufacturing, and health care industries. The city serves as home to much of India's automobile industry and stands as the country's second-largest exporter of information technology (IT) and information-technology-enabled services (ITES), behind Bangalore.[2] An international airport and two major ports serves the city. Five national highways and two railway terminals connect Chennai to the rest of the country. Thirty-five countries have consulates in Chennai.

Chennai hosts a large cultural event, the annual Madras Music Season, which includes performances by hundreds of artists. The city has a vibrant theater scene, positioned as an important center for the Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form. The Tamil movie industry, known as Kollywood, has its center in the city; the soundtracks of the movies dominate its music scene. Chennai has earned a reputation 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 and the construction of mini-flyovers to address those problems.

Names

The name Chennai, an eponym, etymologically derived from Chennapatnam, the name of the town that grew up around Fort St George, had been built by the British in 1640. The town had been, most likely, named after Damarla Chennappa Nayak, father of the ruling chieftain of the area, Venkatapathy Nayak,[3]

The former name, Madras, derives from Madraspatnam, a fishing village that lay to the north of Fort St. George. The origin of the name Madraspatnam has been a subject of disagreement. One theory holds that the Portuguese, who arrived in the area in the sixteenth century, may have named the village Madre de Deus.[4] The city had been officially renamed Chennai in 1996, about the same time that officials changed the names of many Indian cities. Madras derives from Portuguese name.[5]

History

File:Chennai History.jpg
Madras Central Railway Station, 1925 in Mylapore is one of the oldest temples in Chennai.

The region around Chennai has served as an important administrative, military, and economic centre since the first century.[6] It has been ruled by various South Indian dynasties, notably the Pallava, the Chola, the Pandya, and Vijaynagar.[6] 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, who is said to have preached in the area between 52 and 70 C.E. In 1612, the Dutch established themselves near Pulicat, just north of the city.

On 22 August 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.[6] 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.[6] 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. 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 eighteenth 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.[7] Under British rule, the city grew into a major urban centre and naval base.

Victoria Public Hall

With the advent of railways in India in the late nineteenth century, the thriving urban centre was connected to other important cities such as Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) and Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), promoting increased communication and trade with the hinterland.

Chennai 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.[8] 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.[9]

In 2004, an Indian Ocean tsunami lashed the shores of Chennai, killing many and permanently altering the coastline.[10]

Geography and climate

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),[11] and its highest point is 60 m (200 ft). Two rivers meander through Chennai, the Cooum River (or Koovam) through the centre and the Adyar River to the south. Both 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.[12][13] 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.[14]

Chennai's soil is mostly clay, shale and sandstone.[15] 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.[16]

Climate chart for Chennai
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
36
 
30
20
 
 
10
 
31
20
 
 
7
 
33
22
 
 
15
 
35
26
 
 
26
 
39
28
 
 
37
 
38
27
 
 
91
 
36
26
 
 
116
 
35
26
 
 
119
 
34
26
 
 
306
 
32
24
 
 
355
 
30
22
 
 
138
 
29
21
temperatures in °C
precipitation totals in mm
source: Nirvana Tour[17]
Imperial conversion

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.[18] Chennai is one of the few cities in the world that accommodates a national park, the Guindy National Park, within its limits.[19]

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,[20] 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).[21][22] 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.[23] The most prevailing winds in Chennai are the Southwesterly between May and September and the Northeasterly during the rest of the year.

Administration and utility services

City officials, as of September 2007
Mayor Ma. Subramanian
Deputy Mayor R. Sathya Bama
Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni
Commissioner of Police G. Nanjil Kumaran


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. 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 city police car

The 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),[24] the metropolitan area is spread over 1,189 km² (458 mi²).[25] 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.[26] 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.[27] The city's telephone service is provided by six mobile phone companies and four landline companies,[28][29] 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.[30] 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.[31] 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.[32][33]

Economy

Chennai has a diversified economic base anchored by the automobile, software services, hardware manufacturing, healthcare and financial services industries.[34] 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.[35] 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.[36]

The city is base to around 30% of India's automobile industry[37] and 35% of its auto components industry.[38] A large number of automotive companies including Hyundai, Ford, BMW, Mitsubishi, TVS Motors (TVS), Ashok Leyland 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.[39] 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.[40] Chennai contributes more than 50% of India's leather exports.

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.[41] Prominent financial institutions, including the World Bank, have back office operations in the city.[42] Chennai is home to three large national level commercial banks[43][44][45] 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),[46] Sankara Nethralaya and Sri Ramachandra Medical Center are based in the city, making it one of the preferred destinations for medical tourists from across the globe.[47] 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[48] and Golden Jubilee bio-tech park at Siruseri house biotechnology companies and laboratories. Chennai has a fully computerised stock exchange called the Madras Stock Exchange.

Demographics

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

Residents of Chennai are called Chennaiites. As of 2001, Chennai city had a population of 4.34 million, while the total metropolitan population was 7.04 million.[49] The estimated metropolitan population in 2006 is 7.5 million.[1] 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.[49][50] The sex ratio is 951 females for every 1,000 males,[51] slightly higher than the national average of 934.[52] The average literacy rate is 80.14%,[53] 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. 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.[54] The number of crimes in the city showed a significant increase of 61.8% from 2004.[55]

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.[56] The majority of the residents of Chennai are Tamils and speak Tamil. English is also widely spoken, especially in business, education and white collar professions. Sizeable Telugu and Malayalee communities live in the city.[57] 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.[58]

Culture

A traditional Bharata natyam performance


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.[59] It features performances (kutcheries) of traditional Carnatic music by hundreds of artists in and around the city. 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.[60]

Chennai is the base for the large Tamil movie industry, dubbed Kollywood after Kodambakkam, home to most of the movie studios.[61] The industry makes more than 150 Tamil movies a year, 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.[62][63][64] English plays are also staged in the city.

Among Chennai's festivals, Pongal, 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, dosai, idli and vadai, served with steaming hot filter coffee.

Transport

The IT Highway in Chennai with the MRTS passing overhead.

The Chennai International Airport, comprising the Anna International Airport and the Kamaraj Domestic Airport, handles domestic as well as international flights and is the third busiest airport in India.[65][66] The city is connected to major hubs in South Asia, South 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, with four runways, is to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore in Sriperumbudur.[67]

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 and general industrial cargo. The Ennore port handles cargo such as coal, ore and other bulk products.[68] A smaller harbour at Royapuram is used by local fishing boats and trawlers.

Chennai 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.[69] The Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT), the terminus for all intercity buses from Chennai, is the largest bus station in Asia.[70] 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.

File:Chentrain.jpg
MRTS Train station in 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, and Coimbatore as well as to smaller towns across India.[71] Chennai Egmore is a stop for trains traveling primarily within Tamil Nadu; it also handles a few inter-state trains.[72]

One of the newer MTC buses

Buses, trains, and auto rickshaws are the most popular form of public transport within the city. The Chennai suburban railway network consists of four broad gauge rail sectors, three of which are Chennai Central–Arakkonam, Chennai Central–Sullurpeta and Chennai Beach–Chengalpattu. The fourth sector is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) which links Chennai Beach to Thiruvanmiyur and is interlinked with the remaining rail network. The city has plans for an underground Metro.[73] The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) runs an extensive city bus system consisting of 2,815 buses on 551 routes and transports an estimated 3.85 million passengers daily.[74] Vans, popularly known as Maxi Cabs, ply many routes in the city and provide an alternative to bus. 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.[75][76]

Media

Newspaper publishing started in Chennai with the launch of a weekly, The Madras Courier, in 1785.[77] 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.[78] The first Tamil newspaper, Swadesamitran, was launched in 1899.[77]

The major English dailies published in Chennai are The Hindu, The New Indian Express, The Deccan Chronicle and evening dailies, 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.[79] 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.[80] 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, Star Vijay, Jaya TV, Makkal TV and Kalaignar TV broadcast out of Chennai. The Sun Network, a Rs. 4,395 crore public firm, is based in the city and is the country's second-largest broadcasting company in viewership share.[81][82] The group owns 19 TV channels in all major South Indian languages, FM radio stations in eleven cities and a few Tamil magazines and newspapers.[83][84][82] While SCV and Hathway are the major cable TV service providers, Direct-to-home (DTH) is available via DD Direct Plus, Dish TV and Tata Sky.[85][86] Chennai is the first city in India to have implemented the Conditional Access System for cable television.[87] 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.[77] The city has two AM and ten FM radio stations, operated by Anna University, All India Radio and private broadcasters.

Education

The main entrance to the Anna University

Schools in Chennai are either run publicly by the Tamil Nadu government or privately, some with financial aid from the government.[88] 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).[89] 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.[90][91] There are 1,389 schools in the city, out of which 731 are primary, 232 are secondary and 426 are higher secondary schools.[92]

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and Anna University are two well known centers 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 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.[93] It has been declared a UNESCO information centre.[94]

Sports

Cricket is the most popular sport in Chennai.[95] The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium (MAC) in Chepauk is one of the oldest cricket stadiums in India.[96] The Chemplast Cricket Ground on the IIT Madras campus is another important venue hosting first class matches. Prominent cricketers from the city include former Test-captains S. Venkataraghavan and Kris Srikkanth.[97][98] A cricket fast bowling academy, the MRF Pace Foundation, whose coaches include Dennis Lillee, is based in Chennai.[99]

Chennai has produced popular tennis players[100][101][102] and is host to an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) event, the Chennai Open.[103] The city is home to a Premiere Hockey League (PHL) team, the Chennai Veerans, and has hosted many hockey tournaments such as the Champions Trophy.[104] 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.[105]

File:Chennai.ATP.jpg
ATP Chennai Open - Centre Court at the SDAT Tennis Stadium complex

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,[106] which has also been the venue for several international competitions.[107] 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.

Other athletes of repute from Chennai include table tennis players Sharath Kamal[108] and two-time world carrom champion, Maria Irudayam.[109] The city has a rugby team called the Chennai Cheetahs.[110]

Sister cities

In April 2007, San Antonio, Texas, United States, expressed interest in a partnership.[113]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Srivasthan, A, "New land use proposals mooted in draft Master Plan", The Hindu, April 12, 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  2. ↑ "Chennai has the 'potential' to become Detroit of South Asia: IT Secretary", The Hindu, July 18, 2005. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  3. ↑ Srinivasan, T.A, "Face behind the name", The Hindu, February 28, 2002. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  4. ↑ Kurian, Nimi, "And the city grew", The Hindu, August 31, 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  5. ↑ Tharoor, Sashi, "In India's name game, cities are the big losers", International Herald Tribune, September 06, 2002. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named chendistprofhistory
  7. ↑ "Madras, India (Capital)". Encyclopaedia Brittanica (eleventh edition). (1911). Retrieved on 2008-07-03.
  8. ↑ Playne, Somerset and J.W. Bond, Arnold Wright (1914). Southern India: Its History, People, Commerce and Industrial resources. Foreign and Colonial Compiling and Publishing Company, London, pp. 51–52. ISBN 8120613449. Retrieved 2008-07-03. 
  9. ↑ Guha, Ramachandra, "Hindi against India", The Hindu, January 16, 2005. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  10. ↑ Altaff, K and J. Sugumaran, Md. S. Naveed (July 10, 2005). Impact of tsunami on meiofauna of Marina beach, Chennai, India. Current Science 89 (1).
  11. ↑ Geographical and physical features. District Profile. Govt of India. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  12. ↑ Baskaran, Theodore S, "Death of an Estuary", The Hindu, January 12, 2003. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  13. ↑ Doraisamy, Vani, "A breather for the Adyar estuary", The Hindu, October 31, 2005. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  14. ↑ Lakshmi, K, "It's no cola, it's the water supplied in Korattur", The Hindu, July 13, 2004. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  15. ↑ Practices and Practitioners. Technology. Centre for Science and Environment. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  16. ↑ "A ready reckoner on rainwater harvesting", The New Indian Express, August 11, 2003. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  17. ↑ Temperature and Rainfall chart. Nirvana Tour. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
  18. ↑ Structure of Chennai (PDF). Second Master Plan - II pp. pp. II–9, II–10, II–11, II–15. Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  19. ↑ Guindy National Park. Govt. of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  20. ↑ Ramakrishnan, T, "Hot spell may continue for some more weeks in the State", The Hindu, May 18, 2005. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
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  25. ↑ Chennai Metropolitan Area - Profile. Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
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  28. ↑ Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (August 24, 2007). Information note to the Press (Press Release No.71/2007). (PDF) Press release. Retrieved on 2008-07-03., Annexure I lists these six entities as the licensed cellurar operators for the Chennai circle. The CDMA Development Group's official website lists Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications as the only operators to have deployed CDMA on cellular systems in India. CDMA Worldwide: Deployment search - Asia-Pacific. CDMA Development Group. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
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  30. ↑ Management of water supply during acute water scarcity in 2003 & 2004. Operations and maintenance. Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  31. ↑ Lakshmi, K, "Bangalore team visits RWH structures in city", The Hindu, August 3, 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  32. ↑ "IVRCL to set up desalination plant near Chennai", The Hindu, August 12, 2005. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  33. ↑ Radhakrishnan, R.K, "Preliminary work on desalination plant to be completed by December-end", The Hindu, September 4, 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  34. ↑ O'Connor, Ashling, "Hotspot for international manufacturers", The Times, September 13, 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  35. ↑ Economy (PDF). Second Master Plan - II pp. p. III-8. Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
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  39. ↑ Profile. Integral Coach Factory. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  40. ↑ Ravi Kumar, N, "Mahindra City, a world of its own", The Hindu, December 3, 2004. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  41. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Nasscom_Exports
  42. ↑ "BPOs: Chennai most preferred", Sify.com, March 1, 2005. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  43. ↑ Indian Bank Head Office. Indian Bank. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  44. ↑ Muthiah, S, "The bank in a 'palace' grounds", The Hindu, October 1, 2003. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  45. ↑ Branch Network. Bharat Overseas Bank Bank. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
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  47. ↑ Indian State: Tamil Nadu. Govt of India. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  48. ↑ List of clients. TICEL Bio Park. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 Demography (PDF). Second Master Plan - II pp. pp. I-5, I-10. Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. Retrieved 2008-07-03. The population density for Chennai city and the metropolitan area have been calculated using the population figures and the total area of the respective regions, mentioned in the Second Master Plan. The conversion rate of 1-mile (2 km) = 1.609 km. has been used to compute the density per sq. mile.
  50. ↑ Urban Areas by Population Density (PDF). World Urban Areas (World Agglomerations) pp. p. 77. Demographia (March 2007). Retrieved 2008-07-03. In terms of population density, Chennai was ranked 51st among all urban agglomerations in the world with over 500,000 people.
  51. ↑ Census 2001 Data. Census of India. Government of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  52. ↑ India. CIA World Factbook. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  53. ↑ Districts performance on Literacy Rate in Tamil Nadu for the year 2001. Department of school education. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  54. ↑ Incidence & Rate Of Total Cognizable Crimes (IPC) In States, UTs & Cities During 2005 (PDF). Govt. of India. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  55. ↑ Crimes in Mega Cities (PDF). Crime In India – 2005. Govt. of India. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  56. ↑ Area and Population (PDF). Govt of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  57. ↑ Chennai Culture. chennai-online.in. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  58. ↑ Demography (PDF). Second Master Plan - II pp. pp. I-11. Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  59. ↑ "Music musings", The Hindu, February 3, 2005. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  60. ↑ GR. "Yearning for Chennai ambience", The Hindu, December 2, 2000. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  61. ↑ Ellens, Dan and Lakshmi Srinivas (2006). A Time for India. Vantage Press Inc., New York, p. 150. ISBN 0533150922. Retrieved 2008-07-03. 
  62. ↑ Ramesh, V, "The Sultan of sarcasm", The Hindu, July 17, 2003. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  63. ↑ Ashok Kumar, S.R, "Actor R.S. Manohar dead", The Hindu, January 11, 2006. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  64. ↑ Kumar, Ranee, "Laughter, the best medicine", The Hindu, December 10, 2003. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  65. ↑ Traffic statistics - Passengers (Intl+Domestic), Annexure IIIC (PDF). Airports Authority of India. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  66. ↑ Traffic statistics - Aircraft movements (Intl+Domestic), Annexure IIC (PDF). Airports Authority of India. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  67. ↑ "New greenfield airport to be set up near Chennai", The Hindu, May 22, 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  68. ↑ "Gateway to India for Singapore firms", Business Times, July 6, 2006. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  69. ↑ GIS database for Chennai city roads and strategies for improvement. Geospace Work Portal. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  70. ↑ Dorairaj, S, "Koyambedu bus terminus gets ISO certification", The Hindu, December 28, 2005. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  71. ↑ Sub-urban Train timings. Indian Railways. Retrieved 2007-10-06.
  72. ↑ "35 trains to run at higher speed", The Hindu, August 27, 2004. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  73. ↑ Bhatnagar, Gaurav Vivek, "Chennai metro back on track", The Hindu, August 22, 2006. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
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  75. ↑ Land Use and Planning Strategy (PDF). Draft Master Plan – II for Chennai Metropolitan Area. Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
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  78. ↑ Muthiah, S, "A landmark's last vestiges vanish", The Hindu, February 3, 2003. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  79. ↑ Shankaran, Sanjiv, "How Deccan Chronicle stormed Chennai", Rediff.com, May 4, 2005. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
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References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Dinakaran, Dharangini. 2006. "Streets to Shelter in Chennai, India." Psychiatric Services: a Journal of the American Psychiatric Association. 57 (6): 884. ISSN 1075-2730
  • Giry, S. 2004. "Chennai Dispatch: SOL The Indian government's stealth campaign to bar the country's lower castes from changing religions." NEW REPUBLIC. (4658): 12-14. ISSN 0028-6583
  • "Society - Out of Bondage - Frontline, Chennai." 2003. World Press Review. 50 (9): 42. ISSN 0195-8895

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