PrepMaticTamil Nadu GK · History & heritage
How Tamil Nadu was formed: from Madras Presidency to Tamil Nadu
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Tamil Nadu began as part of the Madras Presidency, became Madras State when India turned into a republic in 1950, lost its Telugu-speaking areas when Andhra State was carved out in 1953, took its present borders with the States Reorganisation of 1 November 1956, and was renamed Tamil Nadu with effect from 14 January 1969. The capital city, Madras, was renamed Chennai in 1996. The dates below are the ones examiners ask about.
Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1639 | The English East India Company obtains the site of Madras; Fort St George follows (the foundation is traditionally dated to 1639 to 1640) |
| 1688 | The Madras Corporation is set up; it is regarded as the oldest municipal corporation in India |
| 1857 | The University of Madras is established |
| 1920 | First elections under the 1919 reforms; the Justice Party forms the ministry of the Madras Presidency |
| 1947 | India becomes independent; O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar heads the Madras ministry |
| 1950 | The Madras Presidency becomes the State of Madras when the Constitution comes into force |
| 1952 | Potti Sriramulu dies on 15 December after a fast demanding a separate Andhra State |
| 1953 | Andhra State is created from the Telugu-speaking districts of Madras State, on 1 October |
| 1956 | The States Reorganisation Act re-draws boundaries; Kanniyakumari district's Tamil-speaking taluks are added to Madras State |
| 1956 | Sankaralinganar dies on 13 October, after a long fast demanding the name "Tamil Nadu" |
| 1967 | The DMK forms the government under C. N. Annadurai |
| 1968 | The Madras State (Alteration of Name) Act is passed by Parliament |
| 1969 | The name Tamil Nadu comes into effect on 14 January |
| 1986 | The Tamil Nadu Legislative Council is abolished |
| 1996 | Madras city is renamed Chennai |
| 2004 | Tamil is declared a classical language by the Government of India |
Andhra separation and the 1956 boundaries
The Telugu-speaking districts wanted their own state. Potti Sriramulu's death in December 1952 after a 58-day fast triggered protests and the formation of Andhra State on 1 October 1953. The States Reorganisation Commission followed, and the Act of 1956 produced the state we know. Tamil-speaking taluks that had been in the Travancore-Cochin state, in what is now Kanniyakumari district, were merged with Madras State on 1 November 1956 after a movement led by Marshal Nesamony and others. Tiruttani and some other border areas were also a flashpoint in the boundary debates. The district list has changed more often than the outer boundary. For the rest of the state's GK, start from the Tamil Nadu GK section.
The name "Tamil Nadu"
The demand for the name Tamil Nadu is old. In 1956, the veteran Gandhian Sankaralinganar fasted for 76 days and died on 13 October 1956. The DMK took up the demand after it came to power in 1967, and the Assembly passed a resolution. Parliament then passed the Madras State (Alteration of Name) Act, 1968, and Tamil Nadu came into being on 14 January 1969 (Pongal day). Annadurai was Chief Minister at the time and died on 3 February 1969.
Administrative and political points
- The upper house, the Legislative Council, was abolished in 1986, so the legislature is unicameral. See the Legislative Assembly facts.
- Chief Ministers from 1947 are listed on Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu.
- Dravidian parties' rise and the language politics of the 1960s are in the Dravidian movement timeline.
Frequently asked questions
When was Madras State renamed Tamil Nadu?
The change took effect on 14 January 1969, under the Madras State (Alteration of Name) Act, 1968.
Who is associated with the demand for the name Tamil Nadu?
Sankaralinganar, who died on 13 October 1956 after a fast of 76 days. C. N. Annadurai, as Chief Minister, carried the change through.
When was Andhra State formed?
On 1 October 1953, from Madras State, after the death of Potti Sriramulu in December 1952.
When did Madras become Chennai?
In 1996, when the Tamil Nadu government renamed the city. The old name survives in Madras High Court, Madras University and the Madras Music Season.
Is this topic in the TNPSC syllabus?
Yes, it appears in the Tamil Nadu history and political history part of the unit. See the TNPSC Tamil Nadu history and culture guide.
Official sources
- Tamil Nadu Government portal: state profile and history notes.
- Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly: history of the legislature.
- Ministry of Home Affairs: the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
Check the textbook for the exact wording of dates when two sources differ.
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