Tamil Nadu Archives and Historical Research Madras Record Office Chennai

Overview

Tamil Nadu Archives and Historical Research, also known historically as the Tamil Nadu State Archives (TNA) and formerly as the Madras Record Office, is the official custodian of permanent government records of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Located in Egmore, Chennai, opposite the Egmore Railway Station, it is recognized as one of the largest repositories of historical and government documents in Asia.

History and Founding

The institution traces its origins to 1805, when a centralized records repository for the Secretariat was established in Madras (present-day Chennai). It was formally constituted as the Madras Record Office in 1909, when a purpose-built Indo-Saracenic building was constructed. The institution was affiliated with the Government of Tamil Nadu and has expanded through several additions, most recently a new Archival Library building in 1999. It is active on social media as @TNArchives1909, reflecting its 1909 founding.

Collections and Holdings

The archives house an extensive collection of records spanning colonial and post-independence Tamil Nadu, including records of the British colonial administration up to 1857, Raj-era records from 1858 to 1947, and post-independence government documents. Notably, TNA holds a substantial collection of Dutch East India Company (VOC) records from the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, as well as volumes relating to southern Indian Princely States. The library holds 231,752 records including books, journals, and reports in both Tamil and English. Pre-1857 district records are catalogued to 1835. The archives have received digital copies of Tamil agrarian history documents under the British Library's Endangered Archives Programme.

Access and Usage

Access to archival records requires prior permission from the director. Researchers with appropriate documentation and permission can request specific files to be brought for consultation. RTI (Right to Information) applications are another route to obtaining documents. Staff are noted as helpful. The institution is located directly opposite Chennai Egmore Railway Station.