The story so far: On Tuesday (July 14, 2026), the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) chief Anbumani Ramadoss urged the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government to declare Tamil Nadu Day on November 1 instead of July 18.
Emphasising that “historical revisionism” should not be allowed, the PMK leader’s call was in response to the State Tamil Development Department’s programme to hold oratorical and essay-writing contests for school students on the occasion, which was made public through a release on July 1.
Why is July 18 considered significant?
Four months after the DMK, headed by C.N. Annadurai, captured power in Tamil Nadu in 1967, the Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution calling for the change in the name of the State. UN diplomat-turned-writer R. Kannan in his perceptive book, The DMK Years, called the development “the moment of frisson.” Till then, the State was known by the name of its capital, Madras.
In November-December 1968, both Houses of Parliament adopted a Bill to enable the change in the name of the State, and the new name came into force on January 14, 1969, the day of ‘Thai Pongal’.
What compelled the DMK government to go for the change?
Even while being in the Opposition (1957-67), the Dravidian major had demanded that the name of the State be changed to Tamil Nadu. The Congress was in power at that time, and it did not want to effect the change officially, as many leaders of the national party had apprehended that such a move might provide encouragement to fissiparous tendencies.
However, the demand came from sections of the Congress party too.
In October 1956, K.P. Sankaralinga Nadar, a Virudhunagar-based Congressman, died after observing a fast for 75 days. Though the event did not lead to any immediate policy change, towering Congress leader and Finance Minister C. Subramaniam made his budget (vote on account) speech in Tamil for the first time on December 17, 1956.
About four years later — on February 24, 1961 — C. Subramaniam announced in the Assembly that the government had decided to use the title ‘Tamil Nadu’ for the State while referring to it in Tamil. Also, the official use of the name, Chennai, in Tamil, should in future be limited to the city of Madras.
Who were behind the demand?
The Tamil Arasu Kazhagam (TAK) founder and Tamil scholar, M.P. Sivagnanam, did not see eye to eye on many issues with K. Kamaraj despite being a nationalist. He raised the demand in the Madras Legislative Council in 1953. In fact, when the Assembly adopted the resolution in July 1967, he felt that this could have been accomplished 10 years ago.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) was also a strong votary for the creation of linguistic States. In February 1956, a group of parties, including the CPI, the TAK and the Praja Socialist Party, called for a one-day bandh to highlight the demand for the change in the State’s nomenclature. When Congressman Sankaralinga Nadar undertook the fast, the CPI wholeheartedly supported his demand and requested him to give up his fast. It also assured him that it would pursue the issue. Before his passing, Nadar had, in a letter to the revenue authorities, wanted his body to be handed over to the communists for last rites, according to G. Ramakrishnan, member of the CPI (Marxist) polit bureau.
How did July 18 come to be called Tamil Nadu Day?
The DMK returned to power in May 2021 after a gap of 10 years. In October that year, the State government decided that it would start observing July 18 as Tamil Nadu Day.
Announcing the decision, then Chief Minister M. K. Stalin said the move followed representations from several political parties, Tamil scholars and enthusiasts, who argued that the earlier composite Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala were carved out of the erstwhile Madras State during 1953-56. Since they all came into being on November 1, 1956, it would not be appropriate to observe the day as Tamil Nadu Day.
The representations should be viewed against the decision of the previous AIADMK regime, led by Edappadi K. Palaniswami, to observe November 1 as Tamil Nadu Day.
What is Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss conveying?
Dr. Ramadoss said that he and his party demand November 1 to be celebrated as Tamil Nadu Day. Only the day on which a State came into being can be called the formation day, not the day a resolution was adopted by the legislature to keep a particular name. If required, Tamil scholars, enthusiasts and those who fought for the formation of linguistic States can be consulted, Dr. Ramadoss suggested.
Published – July 17, 2026 02:36 pm IST
