Tamil Nadu’s history goes back to about 6000 years. It is the nucleus of Dravidian culture in India. The Dravidian country from which modern Tamil Nadu formed was ruled by the Chera, Chola and Pandya during the 4^th century B.C. In the 4^th Century AD the Pallavas of Kanchi, became the rulers. They dominated the south for another 400 years. The rise of Muslim power in India had its impact on Tamil Nadu. The establishment of the East India Company at Madras in 1639 was a crucial chapter in the history of Madras. 

When India got freedom, the old Madras province, comprising Tamil Nadu and part of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh continued as the State of Madras. But the agitation for a separate Telugu speaking state compelled the government of India to bifurcate the state into two, the Telugu-speaking Andhra Pradesh and Tamil-speaking Tamil Nadu. The old capital Madras city was retained by the new Madras state.

Under  the  states  reorganization   Act 1956, Madras lost the Malabar district and the Kasaragod taluk to the newly formed Kerala State. At the same time, Madras gained four taluks of Trivandrum district and one taluk of Kollam district. In 1969, January, Madras State changed its name to Tamil Nadu. The capital city was renamed as Chennai in 1996.