Tamil Nadu Timeline

Minorities

14 events, 1819 to 2007.

  1. 1819

    1. 2 Aug 1819Chepauk PalacePolitics

      Death of Nawab Azim-ud-Daula; Azam Jah succeeds

      Azim-ud-Daula, the Nawab of the Carnatic who had signed away his civil administration to the Company in 1801, died and was succeeded by Azam Jah.

  2. 1898

    1. 1898ChennaiReligion

      Iyothee Thass founds the Sakya Buddhist Society

      After embracing Buddhism in Ceylon, Iyothee Thass founded the Sakya Buddhist Society in Madras, launching a Tamil Buddhist revival among Dalits.

  3. 1909

    1. 1909ChennaiLegislation

      Morley-Minto reforms

      The Indian Councils Act 1909 introduced elections to the legislative councils, including Madras, and admitted Indians to the Madras executive council.

  4. 1927

    1. Jun 1927 to Jan 1929South AfricaDiplomacy

      V. S. Srinivasa Sastri becomes India's Agent in South Africa

      The Union of South Africa received its first Agent from India: V. S. Srinivasa Sastri, a Liberal leader from Madras.

  5. 1946

    1. 1946 to 1952ChennaiPolitics

      Muhammad Ismail leads the Muslim League opposition in Madras

      M. Muhammad Ismail, later called Quaid-e-Millath, became Leader of the Opposition in the Madras Legislative Assembly.

  6. 1964

    1. 30 Oct 1964New DelhiDiplomacy

      Sirima-Shastri Pact on people of Indian origin in Ceylon

      India and Ceylon agreed that 525,000 stateless people of Indian origin, mostly Tamil plantation workers, would be repatriated to India.

  7. 1980

    1. 1980ChennaiReligion

      Hindu Munnani founded in Tamil Nadu

      The Hindu Munnani, a Hindutva organisation set up with RSS backing, was founded in Tamil Nadu by Ramagopalan.

  8. 1993

    1. 1993CoimbatoreConflict

      Al Ummah formed in Coimbatore

      Al Ummah, a militant group founded in Coimbatore by Syed Ahmed Basha, was banned after the 1998 Coimbatore bombings.

  9. 1995

    1. 1995ChennaiPolitics

      Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam founded

      The Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) was formed as a mass organisation to defend the rights of Muslims in the state.

    2. 10 Mar 1995ChennaiCinema

      Mani Ratnam's Bombay released amid controversy

      Bombay, Mani Ratnam's film about an inter-religious couple during the 1992-93 Bombay riots, drew controversy, and bombs were thrown at his Madras home.

  10. 1997

    1. 29 Nov 1997 to 1 Dec 1997CoimbatoreConflict

      Coimbatore communal riots

      The killing of a traffic constable in Coimbatore was followed by communal riots in which 18 Muslims and 2 Hindus were killed.

  11. 2002

    1. 25 Jul 2002 to 25 Jul 2007New DelhiPolitics

      A. P. J. Abdul Kalam becomes President of India

      Rameswaram-born scientist A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, backed by both the BJP and the Congress, took office as the 11th President of India.

    2. Oct 2002 to 2006ChennaiLegislation

      Tamil Nadu anti-conversion law

      The AIADMK government introduced a law against forcible religious conversion, which was withdrawn after the 2004 Lok Sabha election and formally repealed in 2006.

  12. 2007

    1. 2007ChennaiSocial Reform

      Separate reservation for Backward Class Muslims and Christians

      Under a 2007 Act, Backward Class Muslims and Christians received their own portion of the backward class quota.