Gandhi Nagar is a neighbourhood in Adyar, in the southern part of the Indian city of Chennai. Its bordered by the Adyar river, Katuribai Nagar, Indira Nagar and the Buckingham canal. Today Gandhi Nagar is a commercial hot spot having relatively good transport and other facilities.
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Gandhi Nagar has more than 150 years of history. The most oldest things in Gandhi Nagar are the Pilliar Kovil and the St. Patrick's School. The St. Patrick's School has a well documented history.
St. Patrick's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, a Centenarian Institution of great renown, was founded in 1875 by Irish Brothers to cater to the educational needs of the sons of British settlers in Madras, and a few Indian boys, whose parents wanted them to have the benefits of a Western education. It is managed by the Patrician Brothers who have some of the finest schools in India and abroad. The dawn of this century, set off the process of expansion of the school at a quicker pace. The School has grown to colossal proportions and has done its best to maintain the highest standards of education. It has moulded and shaped the lives of generations of students.
The main objective is to impart sound religious, moral, literary and scientific education aiming at the harmonious development of the child.
The first residential (non academic) inhabitants are people from a tiny town called Sadhuranga pattinam (சதுரங்கப்பட்டினம்) or Sadras as its called. They came from Chengulpet to Gandhi Nagar via Buckingham canal via boats that was propelled by wind under favorable conditions or the boats were pulled by humans with rope from boat tied to their waist. At that time in 1942, Gandhi Nagar had lush paddy fields and was used for agriculture and was bordered by Guindy forest (which has almost disappeared now).
The Alwaris family is said to be the first family who resided in Gandhi Nagar. The next was the family of Mudaliar Brothers. The Mudaliar Brothers consisted of Mr. S.K.Ramachandra Mudaliar and Mr. S.K.Puniyakoti Mudaliar. They worked in Triplicane, but bought vast lands in Gandhi Nagar as their building construction flourished. In one of their lands stands the old cancer institute, which was donated by Mr. S.K.Puniyakoti Mudaliar.
Mr. Puniyakoti Mudaliar built first independent flats in Gandhi Nagar. The Mudaliar brothers construction industry recruited people from Sathurangapattinam (Sadras), the first workers settled on banks of Adyar River, this settlement was later called Malligai Poo Nagar.
The Mudaliar Brothers (S.K.Ramachandra Mudaliar and S.K.Puniyakoti Mudaliar) were building contractors. They needed manpower to execute their projects. Hence people (primarily from Sathurangapattinam) were bought in. They settled on the banks of Adyar river. The laborer settlement attracted more people, thus a community was formed and was named Malligai Poo Nagar which means Jasmine flower settlement.
Gandhi Nagar today is a hot spot in city having many businesses and hotels.