The Indian state of Tamil Nadu is divided into 38 districts . Districts are the major administrative units of a state which are further sub-divided into taluks . There were 13 districts in the erstwhile Madras Province the boundaries of the present-day Tamil Nadu. Post the reorganization in 1956, Madras state had 13 re-organized districts which was further divided in the later years.
History Before 1947 Before 1947, Madras Presidency under British Raj was made up of 26 districts , of which 12 districts were part of the boundaries of the present-day Tamil Nadu, namely, Chingleput , Coimbatore , Nilgiris , North Arcot , Madras , Madura , Ramnad , Salem, South Arcot , Tanjore , Tinnevely , and Trichinopoly .[1]
1947–56 Districts of Tamil Nadu at the time of the formation of the state in 1956 and districts divided (as of 2009) marked in gray After Indian Independence , the Madras Presidency] became the Madras Province on 15 August 1947. Pudukottai , a princely state acceded to the Indian Union on 4 March 1948 and became a division in Trichinopoly district.[2] When the new constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, Madras Province became Madras State . Madras state included most of the present-day Tamil Nadu , Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema of Andhra Pradesh , the Malabar region of Kerala , Bellary and South Canara districts of Karnataka .[3] Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema were separated to form Andhra State in 1953.[4] As a result of the re-organization of states in 1956, South Canara and Bellary districts were merged with Mysore State to form Karnataka and Malabar district with the State of Travancore-Cochin to form Kerala in 1956.[5] The Tamil speaking regions of Kanyakumari which was earlier a part of Travancore-Cochin was merged to Madras state.[5] Madras state had 13 districts namely: Chingleput , Coimbatore , Kanyakumari , Madras , Madurai , Nilgiris , North Arcot , Ramanathapuram , Salem , South Arcot , Thanjavur , Tiruchirappalli and Tirunelveli .[6]
1957–89 An animation showing the division of districts in Tamil Nadu from 1956 to 2009. On 2 October 1965, Dharmapuri district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Salem district comprising Dharmapuri , Harur , Hosur and Krishnagiri taluks.[7] In 1969, Madras State was renamed as Tamil Nadu.[8] On 14 January 1974, Pudukkottai district was formed from the parts of Tiruchirappalli] and Thanjavur districts comprising Kulathur , Thirumayam , Alangudi and Aranthangi taluks .[2] On 31 August 1979, Erode district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Coimbatore district comprising Gobichettipalayam and Erode taluks .[9] On 8 March 1985, Sivaganga and Virudhunagar districts were formed from the erstwhile Ramanathapuram district with Sivaganga comprising Tirupattur , Karaikudi , Devakottai , Sivaganga , Manamadurai and Ilayangudi taluks and Virudhunagar comprising Srivilliputhur , Virudhunagar , Tiruchuli , Aruppukottai , Sattur and Rajapalayam taluks .[10] [11] On 15 September 1985, Dindigul district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Madurai district comprising Dindigul , Palani and Kodaikanal taluks .[12] On 20 October 1986, Thoothukudi district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Tirunelveli district comprising Thoothukudi , Ottapidaram and Tiruvaikuntam taluks.[13] On 30 September 1989, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts were formed from the erstwhile North Arcot district with Tiruvannamalai district comprising Tiruvannamalai , Arni, Vandavasi , Cheyyar , Polur and Chengam taluks [14] and Vellore district comprising Arakkonam , Arcot , Gudiyatham , Tirupattur , Vellore , Vaniyambadi and Walajapet taluks .[15] 1990–99 On 18 October 1991, Nagapattinam was bifurcated from the erstwhile Thanjavur district comprising Tiruvarur , Mayiladuthurai , Manargudi , Needamangalam , Nagapattinam taluks and Valangaiman from Kumbakonam taluk .[16] On 30 September 1993, Cuddalore and Viluppuram districts were formed from the erstwhile South Arcot district with Cuddalore district comprising Cuddalore , Chidambaram and Vriddachalam taluks and Villupuram district comprising Kallakuruchi , Villupuram , Tirukkoyilur and Tindivanam taluks .[17] [18] On 30 September 1995, Karur and Perambalur districts were split from the erstwhile Tiruchirappalli district with Karur district comprising Karur , Kulithalai and Manapparai taluks and Perambalur district comprising Perambalur and Kunnam taluks .[19] [20] On 25 July 1996, Theni district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Madurai district comprising Theni , Bodinayakanur , Periyakulam , Uthamapalayam and Andipatti taluks .[21] On 1 January 1997, Tiruvarur district was formed from the parts of erstwhile Nagapattinam and Thanjavur districts comprising Tiruvarur , Nannilam , Kudavasal , Needamangalam , Mannargudi , Thiruthiraipoondi taluks from Nagappatinam district and Valangaiman taluk from Thanjavur district.[22] On 1 January 1997, Namakkal district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Salem district comprising Namakkal , Tiruchengode , Rasipuram and Paramathi-Velur taluks .[23] On 1 July 1997, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts were split from the erstwhile Chengalpattu and Chennai districts with Kanchipuram district comprising Kanchipuram , Sriperumbudur , Uthiramerur , Chengalpattu , Tambaram , Tirukalukundram , Maduranthakam and Cheyyur taluks and Tiruvallur district comprising Tiruvallur , Tiruttani , Ponneri and Gummidipoondi taluks .[24] 2000–present On 9 February 2004, Krishnagiri district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Dharmapuri district comprising Krishnagiri, Hosur, Pochampalli , Uthangarai and Denkanikottai taluks .[25] On 19 November 2007, Ariyalur district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Perambalur district comprising Ariyalur , Udayarpalayam and Sendurai taluks .[26] On 24 October 2009, Tiruppur district was formed from the parts of Coimbatore and Erode districts comprising Tiruppur , Udumalpet and parts of both Palladam and Avinashi taluks of Coimbatore district and Dharapuram , Kangeyam and parts of Perundurai taluk of Erode district.[27] On 5 January 2018, the Chennai district was expanded by the addition of Madhavaram , Maduravoyal , Ambattur , Tiruvottriyur taluks and parts of Ponneri taluk of Tiruvallur district and Alandur and Sholinganallur taluks of Kanchipuram district.[28] On 22 November 2019, Tenkasi district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Tirunelveli district comprising Tenkasi , Sengottai , Kadayanallur , Sivagiri , Veerakeralampudur , Sankarankovil , Thiruvenkatam and Alangulam taluks.[29] On 26 November 2019, Kallakurichi district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Viluppuram district comprising Kallakurichi, Sankarapuram , Chinnasalem , Ulundurpet , Thirukovilur and Kalvarayanmalai taluks.[30] On 29 November 2019, Tirupattur and Ranipet districts were trifurcated from the erstwhile Vellore district with Tirupattur district comprising Tirupattur, Vaniyambadi, Natrampalli and Ambur taluks and Ranipet district comprising Walajah, Arcot , Nemili and Arakkonam taluks.[31] On 30 November 2019, Chengalpattu district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Kanchipuram district comprising Tirukalukundram], Chengalpattu, Madurantakam, Cheyyar, Tiruporur , Tambaram, Pallavaram and Vandalur taluks.[32] On 24 March 2020, Mayiladuthurai district was bifurcated from the erstwhile Nagapattinam district comprising Mayiladuthurai, Sirkazhi , Tharangambadi and Kuthalam taluks .[33] List of districts Active districts Former districts See also References ^ Cash, Benjamin (2007). Cholera Seasonality in Madras (1901–1940): Dual Role for Rainfall in Endemic and Epidemic Regions (Report). Ecohealth. doi:10.1007/s10393-006-0079-8. Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ a b "History of Pudukottai". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ Abstract of 1951 census (PDF) (Report). Government of India . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ Andhra State Act, 1953 (PDF) . Madras Legislative Assembly . 14 September 1953. Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ a b States Reorganisation Act, 1956 (PDF) . Parliament of India . 14 September 1953. Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ 1961 census (PDF) (Report). Government of India . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "Dharmapuri district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "Tracing the demand to rename Madras State as Tamil Nadu". The Hindu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Erode district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Archived from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "Sivganga district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "Virudhunagar district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Dindigul district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Archived from the original on 29 December 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Thoothukudi district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Tiruvannamalai district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Vellore district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Nagapattinam district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Cuddalore district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Villupuram district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Karur district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Perambalur district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Theni district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Tiruvarur district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 28 April 2023 . ^ "About Namakkal district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Tiruvallur district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Krishnagiri district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Archived from the original on 7 May 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Ariyalur district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Tiruppur district". Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "Expansion of Chennai district". The Times of India . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Tenkasi district". The Hindu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Kallakuruchi district". New Indian Express . 26 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Tirupattur and Ranipet districts". New Indian Express . 29 November 2019. Archived from the original on 24 December 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Chengalpattu district". The Hindu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ "About Mayiladuthurai district". The Hindu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ a b Districts of Tamil Nadu (Report). Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 December 2023 . ^ a b Government of Tamil Nadu–Taluks (PDF) (Report). Government of Tamil Nadu . Retrieved 1 April 2023 .
