Tamil Nadu at a Glance

Tamil Nadu at a Glance.jpg

  • Capital – Chennai
  • High Court – Chennai
  • Official Bird - Emerald Dove
  • Official Animal – Nilgiri Tahr
  • Official Tree – Palm
  • Official Flower - Gloriosa Lily
  • Official Language – Tamil
  • Famous Festival – Pongal

Important Facts - First in India

  • Madras State came into existence in 1956 and later it is renamed to Tamil Nadu in 22 November 1969.
  • It is the southernmost state of India.
  • It is the state having most Major Harbours in India.
  • A filmstar became the chief minister.
  • Introduce Right to Information Act
  • Establish Commando Police Unit
  • Railways came into existence in South India
  • Start the project to sell rice for 1 rupee per kilogram
  • Start eco-friendly assembly complex
  • Production of Match Box, Leather and Fire Crackers
  • Get rain from northwest monsoon
  • Fort of regional political parties
  • Ban lottery in india
  • Commando police in india
  • Chess a compulsory game in all schools in the state
  • Rainwater storage system
  • Number of cotton textiles in india
  • Largest producer of cement in india
  • Forceful conversion of religion banned through law
  • Lengthiest beach in India - Marina Beach

Chennai at a Glance:

  • The city of Chennai was established by the francis day of East India Company in 1639.
  • The earlier name of Chennai is Madras and it is renamed in 1996.
  • The second Medical College in India and also the first Medical College in South India is Madras Medical College. (Kolkata is first in India, established in 1835)
  • St George fort is located in Chennai
  • Detroit of South Asia
  • The most oldest municipal corporation in India
  • The headquarters of Chennai Municipal Corporation is Ripon Building
  • Chepauk stadium and Ennore port is located in Chennai.
  • India's first post office savings bank ATM inaugurated in Chennai.
  • The first city in India to start a Cement Factory
  • The first city to held lok adalat in india is Chennai in 1986
  • The only city in India, which was attacked by Germany during First World War
  • First aids patient was diagnosed and reported in India: Chennai (1986)
  • Introduced first mobile police station in India
  • First evening newspaper in India - The Madras Mail (1868)
  • The first newspaper to report Gandhiji's death - The Madras Mail
  • Adyar River and Cooum River is flowing through Chennai.

Headquarters in Chennai

  • Tamil Nadu High Court
  • National Institute of Ocean Technology
  • Central Leather Research Institute
  • MS Swaminathan Research Foundation
  • National Institute of Siddha
  • Southern Railways
  • Officers Training Academy of Indian Army
  • Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha

Thanjavur at a Glance

  • First temple built fully by granite in the world is located in Thanjavur.
  • City which is famous for musical instruments in India
  • Known as paradise of farmers
  • The capital of Cholas
  • Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu
  • Brihadeeswarar Temple is located in Thanjavur. It is the first granite temple of world.
  • The native place of Muthuswami Dikshitar, Carnatic Musician
  • The first camp of Sukhoi War Plane in South Asia, that got from Russia to India.

Coimbatore at a Glance:

  • The city which is well known in the name of Kovai
  • The biggest non capital city of South India
  • The south Indian city which is famous for Textiles
  • Manchester of South India
  • Singanallur Lake is located in Coimbatore
  • The mountain pass that connect Coimbatore to Kerala is Palakkad Gap.
  • The dam in Kerala, where Coimbatore gets water from is Siruvani Dam (Palakkad).
  • Capital of motor sports in India.

Ooty at a Glance:

  • The queen of Nilgiris
  • Known in the names of Udhagamandalam and queen of hills of South India
  • The highest located tourist center in South India
  • Rabies Vaccine Plant is located in Coonoor, Ooty
  • The city is known in the name of Ootacamund in English.
  • Ooty Tourist Center is established by John Sullivan
  • Doddabetta Peak is located in Ooty
  • Hindustan Photo Films is located in Ooty.

Nick Names

  • Pearl City – Thoothukudi
  • Princess Of Hills – Kodaikanal
  • Queen of hill stations in South India - Ooty
  • Granary of South India – Thanjavur
  • South Kashi – Rameshwaram
  • Manchester of South India – Coimbatore
  • Capital of Dravidas – Chennai
  • Cultural Capital of Tamil Nadu – Madura
  • Rockfort City – Tiruchirappalli
  • Fort City – Vellore
  • Halwa City of India – Tirunelveli
  • Oxford of South India – Tirunelveli
  • Egg City – Namakkal
  • The city of Thousand Temples – Kanchipuram
  • Gateway of South India – Chennai
  • Niagara of India – Hogenakkal
  • Jewel of Tamil Nadu – Yercaud
  • Cambridge of South India – Kumbakonam
  • Cherrapunji of South India – Valparai
  • Athens of East – Madurai
  • City of Festivals – Madurai
  • Mini Japan – Sivakasi

Cauvery:

  • It is known in the name of South Ganga.
  • Mettur Dam is built across Cauvery River.
  • The tributary of Cauvery flowing in Kerala is Kabani.
  • Erode, Tiruchirappalli and Srirangam rivers are located on the banks of Cauvery River.
  • Shivasamudram and Srirangam Islands are located in Cauvery River.
  • The famous waterfalls of Tamil Nadu is Hogenakkal

Famous Persons of Tamil Nadu:

  • Silapathikaram is written by Ilango Adigal
  • Father of tamil language and grammar – Agathiyar
  • Brihadeshwara temple was built by which Raja Raja Chola in thanjavur
  • The Tamil Helmsman - V. O. Chidambaram Pillai
  • Veerapandiya Kattabomman, the ruler of Panchalankurichi in Tirunelveli is hanged to death after his brave battle against British.
  • The patriotic song, ‘Odi Vilayadu Pappa’ is written by the tamil poet, Subramania Bharati.
  • Subramania Bharati, the freedom fighter was struck by an elephant, whom he used to feed regularly. After the incident, he died within some months facing health problems in his last days of life.
  • CV Raman is the first south Indian to receive Nobel Prize (1930).
  • Sri Rajagopalachari is the first indian to get Bharat Ratna (1954). Rajagopalachari is also the soulkeeper of Mahatma Gandhi.
  • Dr S Radhakrishnan, R Venkit Raman and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam are the Indian presidents from Tamil Nadu.
  • MG Ramachandran is the first film actor to became a chief minister for a state in India.
  • Janaki Ramachandram is the first film actress to became a chief minister for a state in India.
  • Rajinikanth is known in the name of Stylish Actor in Tamil Nadu.
  • PV Akhilandan is the first tamil writer to receive Jnanpith Award.
  • The first Indian to get the ‘Grand Master’ title in Chess is Viswanathan Anand.
  • Jayalalitha is the first women chief minister for a state to complete the ruling period of 5 years in India. Jayalalitha is also the first chief minister to found guilty of criminal offences, and was barred from standing as a candidate in the 2001 elections.
  • Dr Suniti Solomon is the first doctor to report AIDS in India.
  • CN Annadurai is the first chief minister to die in india, while on rule.
  • CN Annadurai established Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
  • AR Rahman is popularly called as ‘Mozart of Madras’ and he is also first Indian to get two Oscars.
  • EV Ramaswamy Naicker is the politician popularly called as Periyar. He is also called as ‘Vaikom Veerar’.
  • V Gopalaswamy, popularly known as Vaiko, was the first Indian, sentenced to imprisonment according to the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).
  • Padmini Prakash (Tamil Nadu) is the first transgender news reader in India.
  • Therukoothu, Kummi, Kolattam and Mayilattam are the popular dance forms in India.

Some Other Facts of Tamil Nadu

  • The first biosphere reserve of India: Niligiris (1986). The district lies at the juncture of the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats.
  • Mother Teresa Women's University is located at Kodaikanal.
  • Colachel Port is located at Tamil Nadu.
  • Kanchipuram is called as capital of silks. Kanchipuram is also the capital of Pallavas in the past.
  • Madurai is once the capital of Pandyas. It is located on the banks of River Vaiga. Madurai Meenakshi Temple was built in 1636 by the Madurai King "Thirumala Naicker".
  • The former prime minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in a suicide bombing attack at Sriperumbudur on 21st May, 1991.
  • Integral Coach Factory is located at Perambur of Chennai.
  • Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD) is situated at Sriperumbudur.
  • National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB) is situated in Tiruchirappalli.
  • Pamban Bridge connects the mainland India with Pamban Island, and Rameswaram.
  • Neyveli is the India’s top mining place of Lignite.
  • The place which is famous for printing press in Tamil Nadu is Sivakasi.
  • The film industry of Tamil Nadu is known in the name of Kollywood.
  • Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar Statue is located at Kanyakumari of Tamil Nadu.
  • Rameshwaram Corridor is the lengthiest corridor in the country.
  • Madras University is the first university of South India.
  • D Udaya Kumar, noted for his design of the Indian rupee sign is a native of Tamil Nadu.
  • Malayali Temple at Yercaud is a famous tourist center.
  • The famous Pallava Sculpture Art is located at Mahabalipuram of Tamil Nadu.
  • Tranquebar, is the place in Tamil Nadu, where colony of Denmark existed.
  • Kudankulam and Kalpakkam nuclear power plants are located in Tamil Nadu.
  • SP Udaya Kumar is the leader of strike at Kudankulam.
  • Kallanai Dam of Cauvery is the first dam of India. It is built by Karikala Cholan.
  • The first chemical fertilizer plant in the country was established in Ranipet of Tamil Nadu in 1906.
  • Thiruvalluvar Statue of Kanyakumari is the second highest statue of India after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Statue of Gujarat.
  • Mudumalai National Park is the Wildlife Sanctuary that borders three states of India. (Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka)
  • Vijayanta and Arjun are the main battle tank built in India and it was in Avadi of Tamil Nadu.
  • Vellore mutiny against British was occurred in July 1806.
  • The southernmost tip of India is Kanyakumari.
  • In Tamil Nadu, Salt Satyagraha is held in Vedaranyam. It is led by C. Rajagopalachari.
  • Indira Gandhi centre for atomic research is located at Kalpakkam.