Sports

First Madras Presidency cricket match

The Madras Presidency Match, a yearly cricket contest between Europeans and Indians also called the Pongal match, started on the final day of 1915.

First Test match in Madras at Chepauk

Chepauk in Madras hosted its first Test match, between India and England.

First Ranji Trophy match played at Chepauk

The opening match of the first Ranji Trophy, India's national first-class cricket championship, was played at Chepauk in Madras.

India's first Test cricket victory at Chepauk

At Chepauk in Madras, India defeated England by an innings and 8 runs, winning a Test for the first time in its 25th match.

Madras win their first Ranji Trophy

Madras beat Holkar by 46 runs in the final at Indore to win the Ranji Trophy for the first time.

Ramanathan Krishnan reaches the Wimbledon semi-finals

Seeded seventh, Ramanathan Krishnan reached the Wimbledon singles semi-finals, where he lost to the champion Neale Fraser.

Manuel Aaron becomes India's first International Master

Madras chess player Manuel Aaron became the first Indian to earn the FIDE title of International Master.

Krishnan leads India to the Davis Cup Challenge Round

Led by Ramanathan Krishnan, India reached the Davis Cup Challenge Round for the first time and lost to Australia.

S. Venkataraghavan captains India at the first Cricket World Cup

The Madras off-spinner Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan led India at the first Cricket World Cup in England, and again in 1979.

V. Baskaran captains India to Olympic hockey gold in Moscow

Led by Vasudevan Baskaran of Tamil Nadu, India beat Spain 4-3 in the final to win their eighth Olympic hockey gold.

Srikkanth top-scores as India win the 1983 World Cup

Madras opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth made 38, the highest score of the final, as India beat the West Indies at Lord's.

Sunil Gavaskar scores record 236 not out at Madras

In the sixth Test against the West Indies at Madras, Sunil Gavaskar scored 236 not out, his 30th Test century and then the highest Test score by an Indian.

India and Australia play the tied Test at Madras

The India-Australia Test at Chepauk ended in a tie, only the second tied Test in cricket history.

MRF Pace Foundation set up in Madras

MRF Limited set up a fast-bowling academy in Madras with the help of Australian bowler Dennis Lillee.

Viswanathan Anand becomes India's first grandmaster

Chess player Viswanathan Anand of Madras became India's first grandmaster.

Tamil Nadu win the Ranji Trophy for the second time

Beating Railways by an innings in the final, Tamil Nadu won the Ranji Trophy for the second time, 33 years after its first title.

Madras Motor Race Track opens at Irungattukottai

A permanent motor racing circuit was inaugurated at Irungattukottai near Madras, becoming the centre of Indian motorsport.

Madras hosts the 7th South Asian Games

The 7th South Asian Federation Games were held in Madras, with the rebuilt Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium as the main venue; India topped the medal table.

ATP tennis tournament moves to Chennai as the Gold Flake Open

India's only ATP Tour event moved from New Delhi to Chennai, where it was held every January until 2017 before shifting to Pune.

Pakistan win a close Test against India at Chepauk

Pakistan beat India by 12 runs at Chepauk in the first Test of their first tour of India in 12 years, despite Sachin Tendulkar's 136.

Viswanathan Anand wins the FIDE World Chess Championship

Chennai's Viswanathan Anand defeated Alexei Shirov in Tehran to become FIDE World Chess Champion, the first Indian world chess champion.

Narain Karthikeyan becomes India's first Formula One driver

Coimbatore-born Narain Karthikeyan made his Formula One debut with Jordan at the 2005 Australian Grand Prix.

Sharath Kamal wins India's first Commonwealth table tennis gold

Chennai's Achanta Sharath Kamal beat William Henzell in the men's singles final at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Santhi Soundarajan stripped of her Asian Games silver

The Pudukkottai athlete won silver in the 800 m at the Doha Asian Games but lost the medal after a sex verification test.

India win the Hockey Asia Cup in Chennai

Chennai hosted the men's Hockey Asia Cup, and India beat South Korea 7-2 in the final to win the title.

Viswanathan Anand becomes undisputed world chess champion

Chennai-born grandmaster Viswanathan Anand won the World Chess Championship tournament in Mexico City without losing a game.

Chennai Super Kings win their first IPL title

Founded in 2008, the Chennai Super Kings defeated Mumbai Indians in the final to take their first Indian Premier League title.

Chennai hosts the Anand-Carlsen World Chess Championship

Playing in his home city, Viswanathan Anand put his world title on the line against Magnus Carlsen and lost it to the Norwegian.

Dipika Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa win Commonwealth squash gold

The Chennai pair won the women's doubles at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, India's first Commonwealth medal in squash.

Chennaiyin FC win the Indian Super League

Chennaiyin FC beat FC Goa 3-2 in the final in Goa to win the Indian Super League in only its second season.

Tamil Nadu Premier League launched

A Twenty20 league with franchises based on districts was launched by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association to showcase local players.

Mariyappan Thangavelu wins Paralympic high jump gold

Mariyappan Thangavelu from Salem district won the T-42 high jump gold at the Rio Paralympics with a jump of 1.89 m.

Tamil Thalaivas join the Pro Kabaddi League

When the Pro Kabaddi League grew to twelve teams for its fifth season, Tamil Nadu gained a franchise of its own.

Chennai Super Kings win the IPL on return from suspension

In their first season back after a two-year suspension, Chennai Super Kings beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets in the IPL final.

R. Praggnanandhaa becomes a grandmaster at twelve

Aged 12 years and 10 months, R. Praggnanandhaa of Chennai became a grandmaster, at that time the second-youngest ever.

D. Gukesh becomes a grandmaster at twelve

Aged 12 years, 7 months and 17 days, Chennai's D. Gukesh earned the grandmaster title, at that point the second-youngest ever to do so.

Bhavani Devi becomes India's first Olympic fencer

At Tokyo 2020, C. A. Bhavani Devi of Chennai became the first fencer from India to qualify for and take part in the Olympics.

44th Chess Olympiad in Mamallapuram

India hosted the Chess Olympiad for the first time, at Mamallapuram near Chennai, with Tamil Nadu organising it at short notice.

Praggnanandhaa reaches the Chess World Cup final

At the Chess World Cup in Baku, R. Praggnanandhaa, aged eighteen, came second to Magnus Carlsen and earned a Candidates place.

India win the Asian Champions Trophy hockey in Chennai

India won a record fourth men's Asian Champions Trophy at home in Chennai, beating Malaysia 4-3 in the final.

R. Vaishali becomes a grandmaster

By passing the 2500 rating mark, Chennai's Vaishali qualified as India's third woman grandmaster, alongside her brother Praggnanandhaa.

R. Ashwin takes his 500th Test wicket

During the Rajkot Test against England, Chennai off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reached 500 Test wickets, only the second Indian to do so.

Night street race on the Chennai Formula Racing Circuit

A street circuit around Island Grounds in Chennai staged a round of the Indian Racing League alongside the F4 Indian Championship.

D. Gukesh becomes world chess champion

Chennai's Gukesh Dommaraju defeated Ding Liren in Singapore to become the youngest undisputed world chess champion.