This is a compilation of a seven-part series in The Hindu on arts and culture that have shaped Chennai, as part of Madras Day celebration

This is a compilation of a seven-part series in The Hindu on popular movie shooting locations in Chennai city that have been immortalised on silver screen by the realm of cinema, as part of Madras Day celebration.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh grants a lunch motion and agrees to hear the case today (August 22), as the concert is scheduled to be held tomorrow (August 23)

This is a compilation of a seven-part series in The Hindu on the history of iconic statues in Chennai city, as part of Madras Day celebration.

This is a compilation of stories authored by writer and historian V. Sriram, published in The Hindu on August 22, 2025 on the occasion of the 387th Madras Day

The history and legends of the Pallavas and Cholas would be incomplete without the mention of their exploits in the Far East. In this way, Madras and the Far East share a connection that spans centuries something that has weathered the colonial era and has been thriving on multiple fronts in contemporary times

Starting out ecclesiastically, Swedens interaction with Madras later took a turn for the industrial, with the flourishing typewriter factory on Halda Junction and the WORTH Trust, which started out as a workshop rehabilitating people with leprosy. The latter still exists, and has since expanded its scope to other disabilities. Meanwhile, the Swiss had a hand in one of Chennais most iconic landmarks, the Integral Coach Factory

Madras tryst with communism goes back to the early 20th century, but the Theosophical Society, co-founded by Madame Blavatsky, was when things really kicked off. Following this, the citys ties with the erstwhile U.S.S.R. only deepened, with even a visit from Nikita Kruschev and Nikolai Bulganin in 1955. Today, the Heavy Vehicles Factory in Avadi and the Russian Cultural Centre are but two of the many connections that persist

To say Madras and Japan got off to a rocky start would be an understatement. A few decades later, however, a new respect for Japan emerged, based on their emphasis on quality and production processes. By the time liberalisation rolled around, Chennai companies were well poised to deal with the world thanks to the quality initiatives imparted by the Japanese

Madras association with the U.S.A. predates even the time when the latter came to be known as such. During colonial times, a few Americans held the post of the citys consular agent, one of them even appointed by none other than George Washington. During WWII, British and American troops poured into Madras harbour, and two among them ended up leaving behind valuable records, in the form of photographs, of everyday life in the citys past

The Anna Flyover was a familiar landmark in the Malayalam films of the 80s and 90s. Earlier known as Gemini Flyover, it often appeared as an establishing shot or setting for tense scenes

Relations with Sri Lanka, Madras closest foreign neighbour, have had their ups and downs. On the cultural front, scholars and saints from both lands shared a healthy rapport. Then, there was the Boat Mail. Exchanges in the arts also flourished, but tumultuous times soon came calling. As peace settles in once again, a new chapter of tourism and trade unfolds

Between Alliance Franaise and Saint Gobain, the French presence in modern-day Chennai is fairly apparent. But turn time back and one will realise that the French ruled Madras for a very short three years and did not leave behind anything of note. All this, thanks to their historical rivalry with the British and the Treaty of Aix-Le-Chapelle

The story of how Tamil became the first language to be printed in the country involved both the Danes and Germans. While printing operations eventually shifted to Vepery in Madras, the Danish eventually faded as colonialists in the region. Cut to the present, however, the Danes still very much have a strong connect with Chennai

Long before a German warship came calling in 1914, there was always the odd German in Madras. Much later in 1959, West Germany assisted in setting up the institute that would go on to become IIT-M, while in 2007, BMW helped make Chennai an automobile hub. On the cultural front, the Max Mueller Bhavan Goethe Institut has been an enduring fixture in the city since its establishment in 1960

Madras seems to have recorded its first Armenians from the 1660s. Even today markers of their lives can be found all across the city, and among all the foreigners who came here, the Armenians are perhaps remembered with the greatest fondness

The Portuguese arrived in Madras sometime in the 16th Century, and they were the first among the significant colonial presences in the region. From sprawling monuments such as Luz Church and enduring street names such as DeMonte to often-used loan words, they have left an indelible mark on the city

While the British were still struggling to find a foothold in Madras in 1639, the Dutch were well-established at Pazhaverkadu aka Pulicat, 60 km north of Madras. While there is very little of Dutch heritage left in these parts, the vestiges that have endured still serve to paint a striking picture of days long past

Though the relationship between India and its neighbour China has been an uneasy one for decades, the latters link to the subcontinents southern region is replete with interesting tales be it the legend of Bodhidharma, the travels of Xuanzang, or the trade that flourished during Pallava and Chola times

While Madras documented history only goes as far back as 1639, accounts found in Bhakti poetry may give us a glimpse into the regions distant past corals and pearls washed ashore on the beach in Tiruvallikeni, elephants being offloaded in Mayilai, and a flourishing trading hub in Tiruvottriyur

The 8,473-sq.m park has two sections: the north, under Ward 71, taken up by the CMDA for improvement, and the south, under Ward 74, where Mayor R. Priya is councillor, taken up in October 2024 for a STEM park.

Chennai District Green Committee headed by Chennai Corporation Commissioner J.Kumaragurubaran rejects many applications for cutting down trees, advises residents to construct reinforced concrete walls to prevent structural damage to homes

Residents, volunteers and school children come together to plant about 600 palm seeds along the lake bund on Thursday

A freelance architect by day, Sharan packs his large white telescope into his car at dusk and heads to the shore for his moon show

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh refuses to interfere either with the CCASH inquiry report or a show-cause notice issued by the Director of IIT-M

The construction of the subway measuring 207 metres long, including a 37-metre railway section, and 6 metres wide began in 2023 using the Greater Chennai Corporations capital fund

The Southern Railway had agreed to part with a portion of the land located near the platform of on the west side after Pallavaram MLA E. Karunanidhi met the Chennai Divisional Railway Manager Shailendra Singh to help speed up the subway project

Minister Nehru inspects the work to lay second pipeline from Chembarambakkam treatment plant on a trial run