Member of Lok Sabha Karti P. Chidambaram
| Photo Credit: Johan Sathyadas J
Madras — I still prefer that name to Chennai — is home. I was born here, at Isabel Hospital, and continue to live on Pycrofts Garden, in the only house I have memories of.Growing up, Madras was gentle and unhurried. Pre-school at Women’s Christian College, and kindergarten through the 12th standard at Don Bosco, Egmore, remain very happy memories. Tennis at Triangle Tennis Trust in the YMCA, Nandanam, and at Egmore Stadium, and running in the sand at Marina Beach, were the highlights of those years.The people of Madras do not make a fuss and are unpretentious and that is the city’s most enduring trait. The city has changed. It has become more cosmopolitan now, but the infrastructure is yet to gain pace to meet this growth. The spirit of Madras — inclusive and welcoming — endures.(As told to R. Aishwaryaa) Published - September 01, 2026 12:33 am IST
