An uproar that marked the State’s name change from ‘Madras’ to ‘Tamil Nadu’ Premium

Discover the dramatic history and significance behind Tamil Nadu's name change from Madras on January 14, 1969.

On February 24, 2026 the BJP-led government at the Centre approved the proposal of the CPI(M)-led regime in Kerala to change the State’s name to ‘Keralam’, the name used in the Malayalam language. Nearly 50 years ago, the Congress government did this for Tamil Nadu when the DMK regime, which came to office dislodging the national party from power, had wanted the title of the State to be changed from ‘Madras’ to Tamil Nadu. 

It is common knowledge that the “moment of frisson,” as described by diplomat-turned-writer R. Kannan in his perceptive book, The DMK Years, came on July 18, 1967, about four months after the Dravidian major captured power in a sensational manner, unseating the Congress that ruled the State for 20 years. On that day, the State Assembly adopted a resolution unanimously, calling for the change in the name of the State. 

But, as early as in March 1961, the Congress government informed the Legislative Council and the Assembly that it would hereafter limit, in official communication in Tamil, the usage of the name ‘Chennai’ to the capital of the State and that of ‘Tamil Nadu’ to the State. R. Venkataraman, who was the then Industries Minister in the Congress regime, had called the State “Tamizh Nadu.

However, there are many unknown or less known facets of the chapter regarding the change of the name. It was on Tamil New Year Day (April 14, 1967) that the then Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai formally initiated the process of the name change when he switched on the new neon-light name board of the State Government over the Secretariat that read: ‘Tamizhagha Arasu - Thalaimai Cheyalagam’ (Tamil Nadu Government Chief Secretariat).

The Tamil name in neon lights of Madras Government Secretariat (Fort St. George), above the Chief Minister's chamber, seen in 1967. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives

The then Education Minister V.R. Nedunchezhian called for giving second place in name boards to English for the benefit of non-Tamils. The latter went to the extent of saying that the change-over was a “fruition of the longings” of poet Subramania Bharati who had dreamt of a great and glorious future for Tamil and Tamil Nadu. Then Public Works (PWD) Minister M. Karunanidhi said some critics had contended the word ‘Tamizhagham’ did not find a place in ancient grammar texts. But, the epic, Silappadikaram, made mention of the word, The Hindu’s report, published on April 16, 1967, quoted him as having said.