Hospitality Herald

Published by Hospitality Herald | Madras Day — August 22

Madras (today’s Chennai) was founded in 1639 when the English East India Company secured a coastal parcel at Madraspatnam and built Fort St. George. From that small trading post grew a city that shaped commerce, culture, education and civic life across southern India. On Madras Day we celebrate the city’s history — and the many “firsts” that make Chennai uniquely important. Below is a compact, well-sourced list of notable firsts connected to Madras/Chennai (useful for quick references, social posts or a Madras Day feature).

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Quick context

• Founding of Madras: 22 August 1639 — East India Company purchase and the start of Fort St. George. Wikipedia

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Notable “Firsts” (Madras / Chennai)

1. First major English (East India Company) fortress in south India

Fort St. George (1639) — the fort that anchored the English presence in south India and gave rise to the modern city. Wikipedia

2. One of India’s earliest banks (precursor of modern banking in the region)

The Madras Bank (1683) — one of the oldest banks established in India, later amalgamated into the Bank of Madras / Imperial Bank lineage. Wikipedia+1

3. One of India’s earliest government printing/press establishments

Madras Government Press (early 19th century; formalised c.1831) — an early centre of government printing and record keeping in British India. Madras Musings

4. One of the oldest medical schools / medical colleges in Asia

Madras Medical College (medical school opened 1835; became MMC 1850) — a continuous medical education presence in southern India since the 1830s. alumnimmc.com Charles Sturt University Research Output

5. The Government Museum, Chennai — among India’s earliest modern museums

Government Museum, Egmore (est. 1851) — the Madras Museum is among the oldest government-sponsored museums in India (second only to Kolkata’s Indian Museum) and houses vast archaeological, numismatic and art collections. Wikipedia govtmuseumchennai.org

6. One of India’s earliest public zoos

Madras Zoo (started 1855 in museum grounds) → today’s Arignar Anna Zoological Park (Vandalur) — the city’s menagerie began at the museum and was among the first public zoos in India. aazp.in Wikipedia

7. Early rail proposals and early southern rail development

Madras was an early focus of railway proposals (1830s onward) and hosted some of the earliest railway lines and infrastructure in southern India as railways expanded in the 19th century. (Madras was central to early railway planning in the region.) Wikipedia+1

8. One of South India’s earliest stock exchanges / financial markets

Madras Stock Exchange (activity from early 20th century; formal associations 1920s–1930s) — an early organized securities market that served southern India’s industrial and commercial growth. MISM – An initiative by SEBI

9. Early civic library & public learning centre

Connemara Public Library (part of the museum complex; opened 1896) — an important public library and research centre that remains a cultural landmark. Wikipedia

10. One of India’s early civil aviation hubs / aerodrome history

Aviation in Madras/Chennai has very early roots — first powered flights and demonstrations in the city date to 1910–1915; a Madras aerodrome and flying club were active by 1930 and the Meenambakkam/Chennai aerodrome became an established airport in the 1930s–1940s. Chennai is therefore among India’s earliest civil-aviation cities. Wikipedia Madras Heritage & Carnatic Music

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Other important “firsts / early achievements” worth noting

• Commercial & port role: Madras was one of the principal East India Company ports for southern textile and spice trade from the 17th century onward. Wikipedia
• Educational institutions: An early centre for modern schooling and professional education in south India (law, medicine, arts). alumnimmc.com Wikipedia
• Civic institutions: Courts, municipal administration and presidency-era governance structures that helped shape modern urban administration in India. Wikipedia

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Why these “firsts” matter today

Madras’s early institutions — forts, banks, presses, medical colleges, museums and transport hubs — created the scaffolding for Chennai’s role as a regional capital. They seeded civic culture, public education, arts, scientific inquiry and the networks that later propelled Chennai to become a major centre for industry, education, healthcare and culture in India.

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How you can celebrate Madras Day (quick ideas)

• Share short posts on social channels highlighting one “first” each hour of the day.
• Host a museum walk or a heritage talk at Fort St. George, the Government Museum or Connemara Library.
• Run a “Firsts of Madras” quiz or Instagram carousel (each slide = one first with a historic photo).
• Support local craftspeople from traditional areas of Chennai (can be tied to heritage routes like George Town).

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Sources & further reading (selected)

• Fort St. George / founding of Madras. Wikipedia
• Government Museum, Chennai — history and collections (est. 1851). Wikipedia govtmuseumchennai.org
• Arignar Anna Zoological Park / Madras Zoo origins (1855). aazp.in Wikipedia
• Madras Medical College history (medical school 1835 → college 1850). alumnimmc.com Charles Sturt University Research Output
• The Madras Bank (1683) and Bank of Madras (Presidency bank lineage). Wikipedia+1
• Early civil aviation and Chennai International Airport history. Wikipedia Airport Technology
• Madras Stock Exchange historical notes. MISM – An initiative by SEBI