Tamil Nadu in the 1980s
77 events, 1980 to 1989; 5 marked as turning points.
1980
Hindu Munnani founded in Tamil Nadu
The Hindu Munnani, a Hindutva organisation set up with RSS backing, was founded in Tamil Nadu by Ramagopalan.
DMK-Congress alliance wins 37 of 39 Lok Sabha seats
The Congress (Indira) and DMK alliance won 37 of Tamil Nadu's 39 Lok Sabha seats, a setback for M. G. Ramachandran's ruling AIADMK.
Income ceiling withdrawn, backward class quota raised to 50%
After electoral setbacks, the MGR government withdrew the income ceiling and raised the backward class quota from 31% to 50%.
MGR government dismissed, President's rule imposed
The Union government dismissed the AIADMK ministry and dissolved the Tamil Nadu assembly, imposing President's rule.
AIADMK re-elected, MGR sworn in for second term
Months after the DMK and Congress swept the Lok Sabha polls, the AIADMK won the May 1980 assembly election, bringing MGR back as Chief Minister.
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.
Tamil Nadu part of Pulicat Lake declared a bird sanctuary
The Tamil Nadu portion of the Pulicat lagoon in Tiruvallur district was declared a bird sanctuary in October 1980.
1981
Coimbatore becomes a municipal corporation
Coimbatore, a municipality since 1866, was raised to municipal corporation status, becoming the third such body in Tamil Nadu.
Fifth World Tamil Conference held in Madurai
The fifth World Tamil Conference, a gathering of Tamil scholars from many countries, was held in Madurai.
Meenakshipuram mass conversion
Several hundred Dalits in Meenakshipuram village in Tirunelveli district converted from Hinduism to Islam, citing caste discrimination.
Tamil University founded at Thanjavur
The Tamil University was established in Thanjavur as a research university devoted to the Tamil language and culture.
1982
Bharathidasan University established in Tiruchirappalli
The state government established Bharathidasan University at Tiruchirappalli, named after the Tamil poet Bharathidasan.
Bharathiar University established in Coimbatore
Bharathiar University, named after the poet Subramania Bharati, was established as a state university in Coimbatore.
Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board established
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board was set up as the state body to monitor and control pollution.
Mandaikadu Hindu-Christian clashes
Tensions between Hindus and Christians in Kanyakumari district escalated during the Mandaikadu temple festival, leading to police firing and deaths.
Nutritious Noon Meal Scheme launched
MGR's government expanded the school midday meal into a universal Nutritious Noon Meal Scheme for children across Tamil Nadu.
1983
TASMAC established to handle liquor trade
Formed by the M. G. Ramachandran government, the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) handled wholesale liquor trade whenever prohibition was lifted.
Free dhoti and saree scheme for Pongal
The state began distributing free saris and dhotis to poor families for Pongal, a scheme that also provides work to handloom and power loom weavers.
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.
Black July and the arrival of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees
Anti-Tamil pogroms in Sri Lanka in July 1983 sent the first large wave of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees to Tamil Nadu.
Apollo Hospitals founded in Madras
Prathap C. Reddy founded Apollo Hospitals in Madras, India's first corporate healthcare provider.
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.
1984
Mother Teresa Women's University founded at Kodaikanal
The Tamil Nadu government established Mother Teresa Women's University at Kodaikanal, a state university dedicated to women's education.
Mahabalipuram monuments declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Pallava-era Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram became Tamil Nadu's first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Madras Export Processing Zone set up at Tambaram
The Union government set up the Madras Export Processing Zone on GST Road at Tambaram to attract foreign investment and boost exports.
Vellore Engineering College founded, later VIT
G. Viswanathan founded Vellore Engineering College as a self-financing institution; it grew into the Vellore Institute of Technology.
First unit of Madras Atomic Power Station reaches full power
At Kalpakkam, MAPS-1, the first nuclear power reactor India built largely on its own, reached full-power operation.
Titan Watches founded as Tata-TIDCO joint venture with plant at Hosur
Titan Watches Limited was incorporated in Chennai as a joint venture of the Tata Group and TIDCO, with a quartz watch plant at Hosur.
Meenambakkam airport bomb blast
A bomb exploded at Meenambakkam airport in Madras, killing several people.
MGR falls ill and is treated in the United States
Kidney failure put Chief Minister M. G. Ramachandran in hospital, and he later had a kidney transplant in New York.
AIADMK wins 1984 election while MGR is in hospital abroad
Contesting from a hospital in the United States, MGR led the AIADMK-Congress alliance to victory in the 1984 assembly election.
1985
Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation (TESO) formed
TESO was formed in Tamil Nadu to mobilise support for Sri Lankan Tamils, with M. Karunanidhi among its leaders.
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.
Ramanathapuram district split into three
Ramanathapuram district was trifurcated into Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Virudhunagar districts.
Dindigul district re-established from Madurai
Dindigul district was carved out of Madurai district in September 1985.
Fast Breeder Test Reactor at Kalpakkam reaches criticality
India's Fast Breeder Test Reactor at Kalpakkam reached first criticality, making India the seventh nation able to build and run a breeder reactor.
1986
First HIV cases in India detected in Madras
India's first documented HIV infections were found among sex workers in Madras by microbiologist Suniti Solomon and her student Sellappan Nirmala.
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park declared
Twenty-one islets lying offshore between Thoothukudi and Dhanushkodi were designated the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park.
Second unit of Madras Atomic Power Station commissioned
The second 220 MW unit of the Madras Atomic Power Station at Kalpakkam was commissioned, completing the two-unit station.
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve established, India's first
India's first biosphere reserve was created from the Nilgiri hills and nearby forests, stretching across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
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.
Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) district was carved out of Tirunelveli district on 20 October 1986.
Tamil Nadu Legislative Council abolished
The upper house of the Tamil Nadu legislature, in existence since 1921, was abolished at the request of the MGR government.
DMK agitation against Navodaya schools
The DMK protested the National Policy on Education's Navodaya schools, seen as a route for Hindi imposition; the schools were not opened in Tamil Nadu.
1987
Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur, declared a World Heritage Site
The 11th-century Brihadisvara Temple built by Rajaraja I at Thanjavur was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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.
Srirangam temple Rajagopuram completed
The 73-metre main gateway tower of the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam was completed after centuries.
Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme
Tamil Nadu began cash assistance for poor pregnant women, a pioneering state maternity benefit scheme named after Muthulakshmi Reddy.
Mettur Thermal Power Station begins generating
The first unit of the Mettur Thermal Power Station, the state utility's first inland coal-fired plant, was commissioned.
Operation Poomalai: Indian airdrop over Jaffna
Indian Air Force transport planes dropped relief supplies over the besieged city of Jaffna, halting a Sri Lankan army offensive against the Tamil militants.
An accord between India and Sri Lanka on the Tamil issue led to the dispatch of the Indian Peace Keeping Force to the island.
Vanniyar reservation agitation
The Vanniyar Sangam led a road blockade agitation in northern Tamil Nadu demanding separate reservation for the Vanniyar community.
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.
Mani Ratnam's Nayakan released
Mani Ratnam's Nayakan, with Kamal Haasan in the title role, reached cinemas and was later named by Time as one of the greatest films of all time.
Chief Minister M. G. Ramachandran died in office in Madras; he was buried at Marina Beach next to the Anna memorial.
1988
Viswanathan Anand becomes India's first grandmaster
Chess player Viswanathan Anand of Madras became India's first grandmaster.
M. G. Ramachandran awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously
M. G. Ramachandran, the former Chief Minister who had died in December 1987, was honoured posthumously with the Bharat Ratna, India's top civilian award.
Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve created
A tiger reserve was formed in the southern Western Ghats by joining the Kalakkad and Mundanthurai wildlife sanctuaries.
Road bridge to Rameswaram opened
A road bridge parallel to the Pamban railway bridge opened, giving Rameswaram island its first road link to the mainland.
Janaki Ramachandran ministry and President's rule
V. N. Janaki became Tamil Nadu's first woman Chief Minister, but her ministry was dismissed within weeks and President's rule followed.
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.
Investigative magazine Nakkheeran launched
The Tamil biweekly Nakkheeran, founded and edited by Nakkheeran Gopal, published its first issue.
India and the Soviet Union sign the Kudankulam nuclear agreement
Rajiv Gandhi and Mikhail Gorbachev signed an agreement to build two nuclear reactors at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district.
1989
Separate 20% quota for Most Backward Classes
The DMK government split the 50% backward class quota into 30% for Backward Classes and 20% for Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities.
Equal property rights for women and 30% job quota
Tamil Nadu amended Hindu succession law to give daughters equal rights in family property and reserved 30% of government jobs for women.
Uthapuram caste violence and the 'untouchability wall'
After caste violence in Uthapuram near Madurai in 1989, caste Hindus built a wall separating the Dalit area of the village.
Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University founded
A separate university for veterinary and animal sciences, TANUVAS, was established at Madhavaram Milk Colony in Madras.
SPIC Science Foundation founds the school that became Chennai Mathematical Institute
The SPIC Science Foundation founded a School of Mathematics in Madras, which grew into the Chennai Mathematical Institute.
Moovalur Ramamirtham marriage assistance scheme
The DMK government started cash assistance for the marriage of daughters of poor families, named after reformer Moovalur Ramamirtham.
Karunanidhi announced an egg once every two weeks with the noon meal, the first step towards eggs on every school day by 2010.
Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve created
The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park and a 10 km buffer zone along the Ramanathapuram and Thoothukudi coast were declared a biosphere reserve.
DMK returns to power, Karunanidhi Chief Minister again
After 13 years in opposition, the DMK won the January 1989 assembly election and M. Karunanidhi became Chief Minister for the third time.
AIADMK factions merge under Jayalalithaa
The two AIADMK factions merged and accepted J. Jayalalithaa as general secretary; she became the first woman Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.
Clash in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on budget day
DMK and AIADMK members clashed in the Assembly as Karunanidhi rose to present the budget; Jayalalithaa left vowing to return only as Chief Minister.
S. Ramadoss founded the Pattali Makkal Katchi, a party rooted in the Vanniyar Sangam and the 1987 reservation agitation.
North Arcot district split into Vellore and Tiruvannamalai
North Arcot was divided into the Tiruvannamalai Sambuvarayar and North Arcot Ambedkar districts.
Congress-AIADMK alliance wins 38 of 39 Lok Sabha seats
Months after losing the state election, the reunited AIADMK and its ally the Congress won 38 of Tamil Nadu's 39 Lok Sabha seats.