Madras Day is a festival organised to commemorate the founding of the city of Madras in Tamil Nadu, India. It is celebrated on 22 August every year, 22 August 1639 being the widely agreed date for the purchase of the village of Madraspatnam or Chennapatnam by East India Company factors Andrew Cogan and Francis Day from Damarla Venkatadri Nayaka, the viceroy of the Vijayanagar Empire.
The idea of a Madras Day was first suggested by Chennai-based journalists Vincent D'Souza, editor, Mylapore Times (a local newspaper) and Sashi Nair, director and editor, Press Institute of India, to historian S. Muthiah during a conversation at Muthiah's home in 2004. Since then, Madras Day celebrations have been held every year without fail, its highlights being exhibitions, lectures, film screenings and quizzes. The Madras Day festival has registered a steady increase in popularity year after year. Between 2014 and 2019, the editions lasted through August and extended into September as well, with more than 120-odd programmes, prompting demands to rename Madras Day as Madras Week, or even Madras Month.[1]
There has been a contention that the deed of purchase was actually dated 22 July 1639 and not 22 August.
- ^ "Madras Day celebrations begin, govt won't join in". Times of India. 14 August 2014.