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Tamil NaduGrain output up in Tamil nadu, despite less rain - Business Standard Foxconn Factory Shut Down in Tamil Nadu, India - NTDTV 'Vanniyars may repeat 1987 for quota' - Express Buzz 64th Santosh Trophy: Mizoram Test At Quarters For Tamil Nadu - Goal.com India Tamil Nadu orphanage takes care of physically disabled animals - Sify Lok Satta welcomes Tamil Nadu''s announcement on prohibition - IBNLive.com Foxconn suspends operation at a facility in India - Reuters No truth in reports on Alagiri quitting Cabinet, says Stalin - Times of India 15 Sri Lankan fishermen arrested by coast guard in Tamil Nadu - Daily News & Analysis Truckers to go on strike - Times of India Tamil Nadu, formerly Madras (m?dras', m?dräs'), state (2001 provisional pop. 62,110,839), 50,180 sq mi (129,966 sq km), SE India, on the Bay of Bengal. The capital is Madras (Chennai). On a low-lying plain bounded by the Eastern Ghats in the north and Nilgiri and Anai Malai Hills on the west, the state has large fertile areas along the Coromandel Coast, the Palk Strait, and the Gulf of Mannar. Agriculture is the chief occupation. The main industries are food processing and the manufacture of cotton and silk cloth; madras, a uniquely dyed cloth, is the most famous product. There are irrigation canals and hydroelectric stations along the Kaveri River and a nuclear power plant. An extensive rail network linking Madras and the coastal cities with inland areas facilitates overseas trade. Most of the population is of Dravidian stock, speaks Tamil, and practices Hinduism. An ancient center of Dravidian Culture, the region has the finest remaining examples of S Indian art and architecture. Coastal areas of the state, particularly along the Coromandel Coast, suffered destruction and lost of life from the Dec., 2004, Indian Ocean tsunami. Tamil Nadu is governed by a chief minister and cabinet responsible to a bicameral legislature with one elected house and by a governor appointed by the president of India. Tamil Nadu was the seat of the Chola empire (10th–13th cent.). Muslims swept away the Hindu Vijayanagar kingdom in the 16th cent. and controlled the area for about a century. The Portuguese established trading posts in the 16th cent., followed by the Dutch, French, and British in the early 17th cent. After a struggle (1741–63) with the French and with Haidar Ali and Tippoo Sahib, the British emerged victorious. Under Great Britain, the territory controlled from Madras city was considerably enlarged. After independence its Telugu-speaking areas were transferred to Andhra Pradesh in 1953, and in 1956 the Kannada-speaking areas were transferred to Mysore (now Karnataka), and the Malayalam areas to Kerala. In 1969 the name of the state was changed from Madras to Tamil Nadu. The Tamils of Tamil Nadu have provided logistical support for the guerrillas trying to establish an independent Tamil state in an area covering the Jaffna peninsula and E Sri Lanka, and some Tamils support the idea of an independent homeland consisting of Tamil Nadu and the Tamil-speaking areas of Sri Lanka and the neighboring Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. PopulationTamil Nadu's population stood at 62,110,839 as of 00.00 hours of March 1, 2001. It is the sixth most populous State of the Indian Union behind Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. The State accounts for 6.05 % of the country's population. Its population density at 478 persons per square kilometre, up from 429 in 1991, and much higher than the all-India density of 324, makes it the eleventh most densely populated State (1991 rank:10) . Approximately 47% of Tamil Nadu's population live in urban areas, one of the highest percentages in India. During the decade 1991-2001, Tamil Nadu reported the second lowest decadal growth in population after Kerala, among the group of States with population exceeding 20 million in 2001. While Kerala's population grew by 9.42 % between 1991 and 2001, Tamil Nadu's grew by 11.19 %. In fact, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Orissa are the only three States in this group to have shown a decline in decadal percentage change in population in every decade since 1971. CultureTamil Civilization is one of the oldest in the World. Unique cultural features, like Tanjore paintings, Bharatanatyam and Tamil architecture, give Tamil Nadu a heritage to be proud of. Tamil Chola kings conquered lands as far North as the Himalayas, and as far East as Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia. The world's oldest dam was built across the Kaveri river in Tamil Nadu by King Karikala Chola. Today, the rapidly increasing IT boom in Tamil Nadu cities like Chennai, Trichi and Coimbatore makes Tamil Nadu the economic hotspot of India. Today, the Tamil Indians preserve their Tamil Culture, while being proud Indians and active global citizens. Tamil Nadu is known for its rich tradition of literature, music and dance which continue to flourish today. It is one of the most progressive and industrialized states in India. Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu (as well as one of the official languages of India). Tamil Nadu is also home to the large Tamil film industry, producing a huge number of Tamil films each year. Chennai has often been refered to as Kollywood, a conflation of Hollywood and Kodambakkam (the section of Chennai that houses the cinema related facilities). Festivals in Tamil Nadu starts with traditional kolamPongal, a four-day harvest festival, is the most celebrated festival of Tamil Nadu, followed in importance by Diwali. Tamil New Year, which generally falls on April 14 or 15 of the English calendar, is another event of celebration. The first month in the tamil calendar is Chittirai. Apart from these, other national festivals like Dasara, Holi and Vinayaka Chathurthi are also celebrated. Almost every major temple in Tamilnadu has a special celebration called The Kumbabishekam. Vaikunta Ekadasi, Thai Poosam, Aadi Velli are a few occasions when many temples wear a festive look. In addition the Velankanni Church and The Nagore mosque stand testimony to the secular and multi-religious nature of the state. EconomyMahindra city, Chennai, India's first Corporate Special Economic ZonePossessing the third largest economy (2004-2005) among states in India, Tamil Nadu is also the second most industrialised state next to Maharastra. It ranks second in per capita income (2004-2005) among large states. It ranks third in foreign direct investment approvals (cumulative 1991-2002) of Rs.22,582.64 crore (INR.225.83 Billion), next only to Maharashtra (Rs.36,602.41 Crore (INR.366.02 Billion)) and Delhi (Rs.30,303.79 Crore (INR.303.04 Billion)). The State's investment constitutes 9.12% of the total FDI in the country . Unlike many other states, the economic resources are quite spread out, rather than concentrated in a small industrialised area. According to the 2001 Census, Tamil Nadu has the highest level of urbanization (43.86 %) in India, accounting for 6% of India’s total population and 9.6% of the urban population. Tamil Nadu has a network of about 110 industrial parks and estates offering developed plots with supporting infrastructure. Also, the state government is promoting other industrial parks like Rubber Park, Apparel Parks, Floriculture Park, TICEL Park for Biotechnology, Siruseri IT Park, and Agro Export Zones among others. The Tamil Nadu state government owns the Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers (TNPL), the world's biggest bagasse based Paper mills in Karur as well as the world's sixth largest manufacturer of watches together with TATA, under the brandname of "Titan" . 55% of all wind-generated electricity in India is created by windmills in Tamil Nadu. Renowned Danish wind power company NEG Micon has established its manufacturing unit in Chennai. Tamilnadu is leading producer of Cement in India,it is the home for leading cement brands in the country such as Chettinad cements(Karur), Dalmia cements(Dalmiapuram), Ramco cements(Madras cement ltd.,), etc., TextilesThe textile industry plays a significant role in the Indian economy by providing direct employment to an estimated 35 million people, and thereby contributing 4% of GDP and 35 % of Gross Export Earnings. The textile sector contributes to 14% of the manufacturing sector. The city of Tirupur, in Tamil Nadu is the largest garment exporter in India and sometimes refered to as Textile valley of India. In 2004, the export turnover from the town was more than Rs 5,000 Crore (INR.50 Billion). Some 7,000 garment units in the town provides employment opportunity to 1 million people. 56% of India's total knitwear exports come from Tirupur. The Export Import Policy of 2002-2007 acknowledges Tirupur for its contribution to the export efforts . Industry & ManufacturingMany heavy engineering and manufacturing-based companies are centered around the suburbs of Chennai (nicknamed, "The Detroit of India"). Chennai boasts the presence of global car manufacturing giants like Ford, Hyundai, BMW and Mitsubishi as well as indigenous companies like MRF, TI cycles of India, Ashok Leyland, Royal Enfield and TVS. Everything from automobiles, railway coaches, battle-tanks, tractors, motorbikes and heavy vehicles are manufactured here. The Kalpakkam Nuclear Power Plant, Neyveli Lignite Power Plant and the Narimanam Natural Gas Plants are major sources of Tamil Nadu's electricity. As of 2005, Tamil Nadu is one of the few Indian states with surplus power electricity, enabling the electrical authority to sell it to neighbouring states. India's leading steel producer SAIL has a steel plant in Salem, Tamilnadu . Electronics manufacturing is a growing industry in Tamil Nadu. Companies like Nokia and Flextronics have chosen Chennai as their South Asian manufacturing hub. Products manufactured include circuit boards and cellular phone handsets . Ericsson also has an R&D facility in Chennai. The town of Sivakasi is a leader in the areas of printing, fireworks, and safety matches. It was fondly called as Kutty Japan or "little Japan" by Mr.Jawaharlal Nehru. It contributes to 80% of India's production of safety matches as well as 90% of India's total fireworks production. Sivakasi provides over 60% of India's total offset printing solutions and ranks as one of the highest taxpaying towns in India. Sivakasi also is a 100% employed town, putting it in the company of very few towns in India. AgricultureTamil Nadu has historically been an agricultural state, while its advances in other fields launched the state into competition with other areas. Even so, Tamil Nadu is a leading producer of agricultural products in India. Tamil Nadu agriculture is heavily dependent on the river water and Monsoon rains. The perennial rivers are Palar, Cheyyar, Ponnaiyar, Kaveri, Meyar, Bhavani, Amaravati, Vaigai, Chittar & Tamaraparani. Non-perennial rivers include the Vellar, Noyal, Suruli, Gundar, Vaipar, Valparai and Varshali. Tamil Nadu is also the leading producer of Kambu, Cholam, Rye, ground nuts, oil, seeds and sugar cane in India. At present Tamil Nadu is India's second biggest producer of rice, next to Punjab where there is perennial source of irrigation. Tamil Nadu is the home to Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, known as the "father of the Green Revolution" in India. BiotechnologyThe Government of Tamil Nadu has established Biotechnology Enterprise Zones (Bio-Valleys) along the lines of Silicon Valley to exploit the bioresources of the State. The Bio-valleys aim at leveraging the bioresources of the agro-ecological zones of Tamil Nadu. Biotechnology Incubator Park Near Chennai: Ticel Park was set up at a cost of Rs. 40 Crore (INR.400 Million) by the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO) in association with Cornell University, USA. This Incubator Park will mainly focus on agriculture, medical, environment and industrial biotechnology opportunities. The Park will provide centralized services to a large number of individual enterprises to develop and commercialise products and patents. Women's Biotechnology Park Kelambakkam: The Women’s Biotechnology Park at Kelambakkam near Chennai will continue to receive support from the Government. This Park will mainly focus on microenterprise and traditional biotechnologies. Medicinal Plants Biotechnology Park, Madurai: A Medicinal Plants Biotechnology Park will be set up near Madurai. This Park will focus on medicinal plants and opportunities for sourcing of raw materials in a sustainable manner and value addition to scientifically tested herbal medicines.This Park will be established in the Industrial Park promoted by State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd., (SIPCOT) near Kodaikanal Road where 380 acres (1.5 km²). Marine Biotechnology Park, Mandapam: A Marine Biotechnology Park will be set up in the Mandapam area for promoting ecologically sustainable Marine Biotechnology Enterprises including the use of seaweeds, production of oysters, mussels, eel, crabs and other sea food items. Emphasis will also be given on conservation and regeneration of mangroves, sea grass and organization of low external input sustainable aquaculture (LEISA). Bioinformatics and Genomics Centre (BGC), Chennai: BGC is located in TIDEL Park, Chennai. This Centre will explore the Indian genetic pool, exploit the germplasm base available and leverage on the existing pool of Indian bioinformatic scientists and low cost local software skills. SoftwareChennai is the Second leading Software exporter in India, next to Bangalore. India's largest IT park is housed at Chennai.Software exports from Tamil Nadu rose from Rs.7,600 Crore (INR.76 Billion) in 2003-04 to Rs.11,000 Crore (INR.110 Billion) in 2004-05. So far this year, they stood at Rs.10,700 Crore (INR.107 Billion) . Chennai is a hub for e-publishing, as there are 47 e-publishing units registered with the STPI in Chennai and 25 in Bangalore. Companies such as Cognizant Technology Solutions, Covansys, Ford Information Technology, Xansa, Verizon, iSoft, iNautix, Electronic Data Systems and many others have all opened offices in Chennai. Infosys Technologies has set up India's largest software development centre to house 25,000 software professionals at an estimated investment of Rs 1,250 Crore (INR.12.50 Billion) in Chennai. India's largest IT park is housed at Chennai, jointly made by Ascendas India Ltd, a Singapore-based company engaged in providing business space solutions, and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO). Businees Process Outsourcing ServicesChennai is now emerging as the most preferred destination for high-end BPOs in financial services, healthcare and other back-office services for multinational companies. Companies like Congruent Solutions (back-end services for California-based retirement funds), Secova eServices (HR service provider for US clients), Lason India (data processing for healthcare and financial services clients in the US) and OfficeTiger (outsourcing of creative works) have set up centres here to take advantage of Chennai's "quality talent pool and infrastructure". Stanchart, eServe (Citibank), ABN AMRO and World Bank have also chosen the city for their back-office functions. Knowledge Process OursourcingChennai is also the preferred destination for companies outsourcing their high end knowledge intensive operations. Testimony to this is the presence of major market research companies such as Frost & sullivan and equity research companies such as Irevna in Chennai. This is the next high growth area that Chennai is witnessing E-GovernanceTamil Nadu has been a pioneering state in E-Governance initiatives in India. A large part of the government records like land ownership records are already digitised and all major offices of the state government like land registration offices, and transport offices have been computerized, thereby improving the quality of service and transparency in operations. Social developmentThe Dravidian movement, which began in Tamil Nadu, aimed at uplifting the socially repressed classes. Educating the people and eradicating superstitions were some of their objectives. They had a commitment to social justice which led to an education revolution in the state. Today many of India's premiere colleges are located in the state. Tamil Nadu has also performed reasonably well in terms of literacy growth during the decade 1991-2001. The State's literacy rate increased from 62.66 % in 1991 to 73.47 % in 2001. The Mid day Meal Program in Tamil Nadu program initiated by Kamarajar Kamaraj is considered to be one of the two key events that led to the realignment of social, economic, political and cultural aspects of the Tamil Nadu. The other event is "Entry in Vaikkom Temple" DistrictsMain article: Districts of Tamil NaduThere are 30 Districts in Tamil Nadu, with Krishnagiri District being the 30th with headquarters at Krishnagiri, by bifurcating the Dharmapuri district
TourismA view of temple tank and gopuram at Uthirakosamangai temple in Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu, India.Tamil Nadu is a land of varied beauty. It is mostly famous for its numerous Hindu temples based on the Dravidian architecture. The temples are of a distinct style which is famous for its towering Gopuram. Popular temple towns include Madurai, Trichy, Tanjore, Kanchipuram, Palani, Swamithoppe,Tiruvallur and Mahabalipuram. The most famous temple is the Brahadeeswara temple in Thanjavur that is about 1000 years old and is on the UNESCO's World Heritage Site list. Tamil Nadu also has the Navagraha temples that are a popular pilgrim circuit. Kanyakumari, the southern most tip of peninsular India, is famous for its distinct and beautiful sunrise, Vivekanda Rock Memorial on the mid-sea, Thiruvalluvar statue and has some very green hilly landscape and picture-postcard perfect sceneries around the district and Nagercoil. Hill stations like Kodaikanal and Nilgiris boast some of the stunning landscapes in India. The Nilgiris also has one of the two mountain Railways in India and is being evaluated for the UNESCO's World Heritage Site list.The Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary located in Gudalur near the border of Karnataka known for its elephants, tigers and deer and the Pitchavaram Mangrove forests located in Chidambaram are two of the many eco-tourism spots of importance. Famous TamiliansDr APJ Abdul Kalam - President of IndiaKamaraj - Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Only because of him, the state is now in this pioneering status in most of the fields. C.N.Annadurai- Founder of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Periyar E.V. Ramasamy - Founder of Dravida Kazhagam Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman - Nobel Laureate, in Physics, for his contributions to the Raman Effect Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar - Nobel Laureate, in Physics, for his contributions to Chandrasekhar limit (astrophysics) Dr. Sivathanu Pillai - Head of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Dr. Jaihind Chembagaraman Pillai - Freedom fighter Dr. C Subramaniam Bharat Ratna - Political founder of India's Green Revolution Dr. M. S. Swaminathan (Agricultural Scientist) - Scientific founder of India's Green Revolution M.S. Subbulakshmi - Noted Carnatic singer, who had uniqueness of singing in UNESCO dias. Dr. M.S. Udhayamoorthy - Noted social worker, businessman, writer and close friend of arignar Annadurai Ilayaraaja - Film music composer; composed scores for over 840 films Sivaji Ganesan - Actor and politician Viswanathan Anand - Chess Grandmaster Mahesh Bhupathi - Professional tennis player Srinivasa Ramanujan - formerly a child prodigy, he later became known as one of the world's greatest mathematicians P. Chidambaram - Present Finance Minister of India Sellapan Ramanathan - The sixth and current President of Singapore C. Rajagopalachari - The second Governor-General of independent India, and later, Chief Minister Subramanya Bharathy - Renowned poet and one of the most prominent leaders of the Indian independence movement in South India. Shiv Nadar - 126th richest person in the world with an estimated personal net worth $3.7 billion. Founder and Chairman of HCL group Narain Karthikeyan - Only Indian to enter Formula One car racing Maniratnam - Movie Director, directed around 17 films including Nayagan, Roja, Iruvar, Kannathil Muthamittaal, etc A. R. Rahman - Music Composer, one of the talented music director in India. |
