Chennai

Chennai (formerly known as Madras) is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal, it is the biggest industrial and commercial center in South India and a major cultural, economic and educational center as well.

The area around Chennai had been part of successive South Indian kingdoms for many centuries. The recorded history of the city began in the colonial times, specifically with the arrival of British East India Company and the establishment of Fort St. George in 1644. The British defended several attacks from the French colonial forces, and from the kingdom of Mysore, on Chennai's way to becoming a major naval port and presidency city by the late eighteenth century. Following the independence of India, Chennai became the capital of Madras State and subsequently Tamil Nadu, and an important centre of regional politics based on the Dravidian identity of the populace.

According to the provisional results of 2011 census, the city had 4.68 million residents, making it the sixth most populous city in India (The area of Chennai was expanded in 2011. The figure represented here is calculated according to the old city limits (176 Sq Km) as the revised figures pertaining to 426 Sq Km are awaited.); the urban agglomeration, which comprises the city and its suburbs, was home to approximately 8.9 million, making it the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the country and 31st largest urban area in the world. Chennai's economy has a broad industrial base in the automobile, computer, technology, hardware manufacturing and healthcare sectors. As of 2012, the city is India's second largest exporter of information technology (IT) and business process outsourcing (BPO) services. A major part of India's automobile industry is based in and around the city thus earning it the nickname "Detroit of India". It is known as the Cultural Capital of South India.

Chennai is an important hub for Carnatic music and hosts a large cultural event, the annual Madras Music Season, which includes performances by hundreds of artists. The city has a diverse theatre scene and is one of the important centres for Bharata Natyam, a classical dance form. The Tamil film industry, colloquially known as Kollywood, is based in the city. The city is host to the third largest expatriate population in India after Mumbai and Delhi, with 35,000 in 2009 and steadily climbing to 82,790 in 2011. Chennai is only city in South Asia and India, to figure in the "52 places to go around the world" by the The New York Times. The city also serves as the second financial hub in India next only to Mumbai, also housing the Madras Stock Exchange.