Renaming

Wellington cantonment established in the Nilgiris

The military station of Jakkatalla in the Nilgiris was renamed Wellington and construction of its barracks began.

Council adopts the term Adi Dravida

Acting on a resolution by M. C. Rajah, the Madras Legislative Council adopted Adi-Dravida officially in place of terms like Paraiya and Panchama.

Proposal to rename sadir as Bharatanatyam

E. Krishna Iyer moved a resolution at the Madras Music Academy to rename the dance form sadir as Bharatanatyam.

Kallakudi agitation against the name Dalmiapuram

The DMK protested at Kallakudi against the renaming of the town as Dalmiapuram after an industrialist.

Sankaralinganar fasts to death for renaming the state Tamil Nadu

Gandhian Sankaralinganar began a fast in Virudhunagar demanding that Madras State be renamed Tamil Nadu and died after 76 days.

Madras State renamed Tamil Nadu

With the Madras State (Alteration of Name) Act, 1968 in force, the state officially took the name Tamil Nadu.

Periyar (Erode) district formed

Erode district, first named Periyar district, was carved out of Coimbatore district.

Madras zoo moves to Vandalur as Arignar Anna Zoological Park

The Madras Zoo, founded in 1855, moved to a large new site at Vandalur as the Arignar Anna Zoological Park.

Tamil Nadu Medical University created

Presidential assent was given to the Tamil Nadu Medical University Act; the university opened in Madras in 1988 and later took MGR's name.

North Arcot district split into Vellore and Tiruvannamalai

North Arcot was divided into the Tiruvannamalai Sambuvarayar and North Arcot Ambedkar districts.

Madras officially renamed Chennai

The Tamil Nadu government officially changed the capital's name from Madras to Chennai.

Tamil Nadu Day first observed on 1 November

The Palaniswami government began observing 1 November as Tamil Nadu Day; in 2022 the DMK government moved it to 18 July.