History of Chennai in Timeline

Chennai (Madras), the capital of Tamil Nadu, India, is situated on the Coromandel Coast along the Bay of Bengal. It's India's sixth-most-populous city (2011 census) and fourth-largest urban agglomeration. Notably, the Greater Chennai Corporation, established in 1688, stands as the oldest municipal corporation in India and the second oldest globally, following London.

1910: First powered flight in Asia

In 1910, Giacomo D'Angelis achieved the first powered flight in Asia, testing it in Island Grounds.

1910: Design of Chennai's Sewer System

In 1910, the city's sewer system was originally designed.

1911: Founding of Royal Madras Yacht Club

The Royal Madras Yacht Club was founded in 1911, promoting sailing, rowing and canoeing sports in Chennai.

1913: Construction of Ripon Building

In 1913, the Ripon Building, an Indo-Saracenic style structure, was constructed in Chennai.

1915: Tata Air Mail Service Begins

In 1915, Tata Air Mail initiated an airmail service between Karachi and Madras, marking the beginning of civil aviation in India.

1916: Establishment of M.A. Chidambaram Stadium

The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, one of the oldest cricket stadiums in India, was established in 1916.

1917: Release of Keechaka Vadham

In 1917, Keechaka Vadham, the first film in South India, was produced and released in Chennai.

1920: Construction of College of Engineering

In 1920, the College of Engineering, built in the Indo-Saracenic style, was constructed.

1921: Formation of Imperial Bank of India

In 1921, the Bank of Madras merged with two other presidency banks to form the Imperial Bank of India.

1921: Construction of Southern Railway Headquarters

In 1921, the Southern Railway headquarters was built, showcasing the Indo-Saracenic architectural style.

1924: Radio Broadcasting Begins

In 1924, radio broadcasting began in Chennai by the Madras Presidency Radio Club.

1927: Initiation of Madras Music Season

In 1927, the Madras Music Academy initiated the Madras Music Season, which is celebrated every year in December and features traditional Carnatic music performances.

1928: Establishment of Southern Railway

Southern railway was established in 1928 and operates a well-established suburban railway network in Chennai.

March 1930: Founding of Madras Flying Club

In March 1930, pilot G. Vlasto initiated a discussion that led to the founding of the Madras Flying Club.

1930: Introduction of Music Course at Madras University

In 1930, Madras University introduced a music course as part of the Bachelor of Arts curriculum.

October 1932: First scheduled commercial flight

On October 15, 1932, J. R. D. Tata piloted a Puss Moth aircraft carrying air mail from Karachi to Bombay, continuing to Madras by aviator Nevill Vintcent, marking the first scheduled commercial flight.

1938: Establishment of All India Radio

In 1938, All India Radio was established in Chennai.

1940: Construction of Dare House

In 1940, the Dare House, an example of art deco architecture, was built in Chennai.

1944: Government takeover of railway companies

In 1944, the Government took over all the railway companies operating in British India.

August 1947: Hoisting of the First Flag of India at Fort St George

On 15 August 1947, the first Flag of India was hoisted at Fort St George after the declaration of India's Independence. The flag is now preserved at the museum inside the fort.

1947: Nationalization of private buses

In 1947, private buses operating in Madras presidency were nationalized by the government, leading to the establishment of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation.

December 1950: Approval of Zonal Railway Plan

In December 1950, the Central Advisory Committee for Railways approved the plan to organize Indian Railways into six zonal systems.

April 1951: Creation of Southern Railway Zone

On April 14, 1951, the Southern Railway zone was created by merging the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway, the South Indian Railway Company, and the Mysore State Railway, with Chennai as its headquarters.

1955: Imperial Bank of India becomes State Bank of India

In 1955, the Imperial Bank of India was renamed to State Bank of India, becoming the largest bank in India.

1958: Modifications to Chennai's Sewer System

In 1958, modifications were made to Chennai's sewer system.

1959: Completion of the LIC Building

In 1959, the LIC Building was completed. At the time, it was the tallest building in the country and marked the transition from lime-and-brick construction to concrete columns.

1974: Doordarshan Chennai Centre Established

In 1974, the government-run Doordarshan established its Chennai center for terrestrial and satellite television broadcasts.

1980: Establishment of SETC

In 1980, State Express Transport Corporation Limited (SETC) was established to run long-distance express services.

1987: Establishment of MRF Pace Foundation

Established in 1987, MRF Pace Foundation is a bowling academy based in Chennai.

1990: Inauguration of Madras Motor Race Track

In 1990, Madras Motor Race Track was inaugurated as the first permanent racing circuit in India.

1995: Chennai Hosted South Asian Games

Chennai hosted the 1995 South Asian Games.

1995: Establishment of MRTS

In 1995, the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), an elevated urban mass transit system, was established, operating on a single line from Chennai Beach to Velachery.

1997: Chennai Open Began

From 1997, Chennai hosted the only ATP World Tour event in India, the Chennai Open held at SDAT Tennis Stadium.

2000: Establishment of Tidel Park

In 2000, Tidel Park was established in Chennai, as one of the first and largest IT parks in Asia.

2001: Migrant Population in Chennai

As of 2001, migrants in Chennai numbered 2,937,000. 61.5% of these migrants were from other parts of the state, 33.8% were from the rest of India, and 3.7% were from outside the country.

2005: Chennai Hosted Men's Champions Trophy

Chennai hosted the international hockey tournament, the 2005 Men's Champions Trophy.

2007: Chennai Hosted Men's Asia Cup

Chennai was the venue for the international hockey tournament, the 2007 Men's Asia Cup.

2009: Restriction on Building Heights Lifted

In 2009, the restriction on building heights around Chennai Port (within a 10 km radius) was lifted, allowing for vertical growth in the peripheral regions.

2011: Chennai Super Kings Hosted IPL Finals

Chennai Super Kings hosted the finals during the 2011 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

2011: Chennai Population Census

In 2011, Chennai's population was predominantly Hindu (80.73%), with Muslim (9.45%) and Christian (7.72%) minorities. Tamils formed the majority, with other ethno-religious communities and a significant expatriate population also residing in the city.

2012: Cinema Screens and Multiplexes

As of 2012, there are 120 cinema screens and multiplexes in Chennai.

2012: Chennai Super Kings Hosted IPL Finals

Chennai Super Kings hosted the finals during the 2012 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

2013: World Chess Championship

Chennai played host to the World Chess Championship in 2013.

2015: Opening of Chennai Metro

Chennai Metro, a rapid transit rail system in Chennai, was opened in 2015.

2015: Chennai Ranked Among Top 10 Food Cities

In 2015, Chennai was the only South Asian city to be ranked among National Geographic's "Top 10 food cities".

October 2017: Chennai Included in UNESCO Creative Cities Network

In October 2017, Chennai was featured in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network list for its long-standing musical tradition.

2017: Chennai Open Ended

Chennai Open held at SDAT Tennis Stadium, the only ATP World Tour event in India, ended in 2017.

2018: Luxury Rooms in Chennai

As of 2018, Chennai has about 7,000 luxury rooms across four- and five-star hotels.

2018: Chennai Named Most Vegan Friendly City

In 2018, Chennai was named as the most vegan friendly city in India.

2019: Chennai's International Tourist Ranking

As per Euromonitor, in 2019, Chennai was the fourth-most visited city in India by international tourists and 36th internationally.

2020: Tourism in Chennai

In 2020, Chennai saw 11 million domestic and 630,000 foreign tourists.

2021: Chennai Among Top Export Districts

As of 2021, Chennai is amongst the top export districts in the country, with more than US$2563 billion in exports.

2021: Registered Vehicles in Chennai

As of 2021, there are over six million registered vehicles in the city of Chennai.

2022: Broadband Speed in Chennai

As of 2022, Chennai had the highest average broadband speed among Indian cities, with a recorded download speed of 32.67 Mbit/s.

2022: Foreign Representations in Chennai

As of 2022, there are 60 foreign representations in Chennai, including consulates general and honorary consulates.

2022: Public Toilets in Chennai

As of 2022, there are public toilets in 943 locations in Chennai, managed by the city corporation.

2022: 44th Chess Olympiad

Chennai played host to the 44th Chess Olympiad in 2022.

March 2023: Chennai's Estimated GDP

As of 31 March 2023, Chennai had an estimated GDP of $143.9 billion, ranking it among the most productive metro areas in India.

2023: Power Consumption in Chennai

As of 2023, Chennai consumes an average of 2,750 MW of power daily, which is above 18% of the total power consumption of the state of Tamil Nadu.

2023: Public Parks in Chennai

As of 2023, Chennai has 835 public parks maintained by the corporation.

2023: Extensive Road Network

As of 2023, Chennai has an extensive road network covering about 1,780 km.

2023: Garbage Disposal in Chennai

As of 2023, an average of 150 tonnes of garbage disposal is done in two landfill sites at Kodungaiyur and Pallikaranai in Chennai daily.

2023: Mobile Phone Services in Chennai

As of 2023, four mobile phone service companies operate GSM networks in Chennai including Bharti Airtel, BSNL, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio offering 4G and 5G mobile services.

2023: Chennai Metro Expansion

As of 2023, the Chennai metro system consists of two operational lines. There is a proposed addition of three more lines and an extension.

2023: Public Bus Transport

As of 2023, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation runs about 3233 buses.

2024: Chennai Super Kings Hosted IPL Finals

Chennai Super Kings hosted the finals during the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

2026: Predicted Water Deficit in Chennai

Chennai is predicted to face a deficit of 713 mld of water by 2026, with demand projected at 2,248 mld and supply estimated at 1,535 mld.

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