Chennai or Madras as it was known earlier is the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Born in the 17th century to serve the British rulers as their main naval and urban base, Chennai has now become one of the vibrating metropolises in India. Situated in the south Eastern coast of India popularly known as the Coromandel Coast, the waters of the Bay of Bengal washes the many beaches of the city. The fourth largest metropolitan Indian city, Chennai also enjoys the status of being the third most important industrial and commercial unit in India. It is the backbone of the flourishing automobile industry of the country and ranks second to Bangalore in terms of IT services. Chennai is also an important centre for the manufacture of electronic goods and hardware. Different theories exist regarding the origin of the name. According to some, Chennai was derived from the word Chennapatanam. On the other hand, Madras was a derivation from the word Madraspatnam. Madraspatnam was the site chosen for the colonial rulers to serve as a permanent settlement in the year 1639. After the merger of both the places, Madras was the name favored by the British, but for the locals the place served as Chennapuri or Chennapatnam. However, the place name was finally changed back to Chennai in August 1996 as Madras was thought to be of Portuguese origin.

Apart from the economic growth, Chennai is also an important cultural and sports centre. Chennai plays the role of the host city to The Annual Madras Music Season. The classical dance form Bharatnatyam has its origins here and theatres are an integral part of the cultural picture. The renowned ATP Tennis event known as the Chennai Open also takes place in Chennai.

Drained by two rivers, Adyar in the south and Koovam in the central regions, Chennai enjoy a hot and humid climate for its coastal location. Easy to reach and with lots to explore, Chennai is one of the major tourist getaways on their south Indian trip.