From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

?Thoothukudi Tamil Nadu • India
Thoothukudi
Coordinates: 8°49′N 78°08′E / 8.81, 78.14
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	4,621 km² (1,784 sq mi) • x m (Expression error: Unrecognised word "x" ft)
District(s)	Thoothukudi
Population • Density	216,054 (2001) • 46.75/km² (121/sq mi)
District Collector	Dr. R.Palaniyandi I.A.S.
Codes • Pincode • Telephone • UN/LOCODE • Vehicle	• 628xxx • +91 461 • INTUT • TN 69

Coordinates: 8°49′N 78°08′E / 8.81, 78.14 Thoothukudi (Tamil: தூத்துக்குடி) also known as Tuticorin, is a city and a municipality in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thoothukudi is the main city in Thoothukudi District.

The town is also known as "Pearl town". It is a seaport which serves southern Tamil Nadu including the inland cities of Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirunelveli. It is one of theseaport in India with its history dating back to the 6th century .

Contents 1 Origin of name 2 History of Thoothukudi 3 Geography 3.1 Location 3.2 Irrigation 4 Civic administration 5 Economy 5.1 Industry in Tuticorin 5.2 Port 5.3 Salt Production 5.4 Agriculture 6 Transport 7 Demographics 8 Education 9 Media 10 Sports 11 Notable people from Thoothukudi 12 See also 13 External links

There are three theories as to the origin of the name:

• Thoorthu (Dig) and Kudi (Drink)- The town had no rivers and the only source of drinking water was from wells.
• "Thoortha" means land "reclaimed" from sea while "Kudi" also stands for "settlement" or "colony". Hence "Thoortha Kudi" or Thoothukudi could mean a settlement built on land reclaimed from sea.
• Finally, the Tuticorin name was used by Dutch people who were here.

Today the city name is "Tuticorin" in English and "Thoothukudi" in Tamil. Now "Thoothukudi" in both Tamil and English.

Thoothukudi is traditionally known for its pearl fishery and shipbuilding. Thoothukudi became the centre of the Indian independence movement in the early 20th century, with such leaders as the poet Subramanya Bharathy, Kattabomman, and V.O. Chidambaram Pillai. In 1906, the freedom fighter V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, with the help of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, launched the first Swadeshi ship "S.S. Gaelia" from this port town in British India.

The major harbour of Thoothukudi is well known as a pearl diving and fishing centre. Thoothukudi, one of the oldest sea ports in the world, was the seaport of the Pandyan kingdom after Korkai and later was taken over by the Portuguese in 1548, captured by the Dutch in 1658, and ceded to the British in 1825. (Courtesy - The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2001). The lighthouse built in 1842 marked the beginning of the history of Thoothukudi harbour development.

Thoothukudi is in South India about 540 km south west of Madras (Chennai) and is geographically located in the Gulf of Mannar.

The district of Mannar (Bay of Bengal) lies south and southwest of the district of Tirunelveli, west and northwest of the district of Virudhunagar and north of the district of Ramanathapuram. The total area of this district is 4621 km². The administrative headquarters is an urban agglomeration and also one of the taluk headquarters within the district.

The district of Thoothukudi was carved out as a separate district in the year 1986 as a result of bifurcation of the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu State.

===Climate===.

There are no big reservoirs in this district so the Papanasam and Manimuthar dams located in the Tirunelveli district under Tamirabarani system are the main sources of irrigation. Other than the Tamirabarani river, the river Vaipar in Vilathikulam taluk, the river Karumeni which traverses through Sathankulam, and Tiruchendur taluks are all sources. In Ottapidaram taluk there is one small reservoir at Eppodumvendran village.

Thoothukudi city officials
Member of Legistlative Assembly	P. Geetha Jeevan, D.M.K
Chairman	Kasturi Thangam
Collector	Dr. Palaniyandi PhD IAS
Superintendent of Police	Deepak Tamor

The economy of Thoothukudi is based on industries, port, salt pans, and agriculture.

Thoothukudi has a host of industries including power, chemicals, fisheries.

Sterlite Copper Smelter, SPIC - Fertilizer Plant, Tuticorin Thermal Power Plant, Tuticorin Alkali Chemicals, Heavy Water Plant, Dharangadhara Chemical Works, Kilburn Chemicals, Madura Coats, Tuticorin Spinning Mills, Ramesh Flowers, Nila Sea Foods, Diamond Sea Foods, Salt Industries,CTPL(Coco Tufters pvt ltd), Venus Home Appliances and Hitech Flyash India (p) Ltd.

Tata Steel to set up titanium dioxide project in Tuticorin. The project outlay is about Rs.2,500 crore The availability of skilled labour, an electricity generating plant, a container facility and it being a major port has made Tuticorin a major centre for industry and business. The Sethusamudram project, the airport at Vagaikulam, Koodankulam Nuclear Power plant, improved road and rail infrastructure and Nanguneri SEZ is expected to make Tuticorin an attractive choice for business investment.

On 11th July 1974, the newly-constructed Thoothukudi port was declared to be the tenth major port in India, second-largest port in Tamil Nadu and third-largest container terminal in India after JN Port (Mumbai) and Chennai. Thoothukudi is an artificial port^[1]. This is the third international port in Tamil Nadu and its second all-weather port.^[2] Due to its strategic location in the southern peninsula and assured round-the-clock operations, the port has been the nerve centre of economic activity in south Tamil Nadu. The Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project, a project to create a shipping channel through the shallow Palk Strait to allow pasage of larger ships, is headquartered at the Port of Thoothukudi ^[3]. The port currently handles seven per cent of the total container traffic in India and is an important reason for investment in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu.

The port is badly in need of expansion to handle the increase in traffic. The two container berths in the port are of dimension 370m length and 10.9m depth. This limits the port in competing against Colombo port, which has 15m depth. The Tuticorin Port Trust is investing $1 billion for expansion. This will be done in two phases; the first will deepen the harbour to a depth of 12.8m and the second will increase it to 14.5m. In addition to expansion of the outer harbour, proposed upgrades include construction of breakwaters and lengthening the approach channel.^[4] The port has been upgraded to handle vessels longer than 245m. The advantages of deploying bigger vessels are that the existing restriction on booking can be eliminated and the transshipment at Colombo port can be reduced. The Tuticorin port has the potential to be an international container transhipment hub given its unique geographical location.^[5] Activity at the port has grown at a rate of 17 per cent per year over the last five years. A large portion of the operations in the port has been privatized, including handling at the first container terminal by PSA Sical.^[6] A second container terminal has been approved for this port.^[7] Tuticorin port is becoming a gateway for South India to the US, Europe and the Mediterranean following direct sailings to these regions. Of the total exports from the port, 25 per cent were to Europe, 20 per cent to the US, 20 per cent to East Asia including China, 15 per cent to Colombo, 10 per cent to West Asia and the remainder to the Mediterranean.

This port has been chosen to be an undersea cable landing station.^[8] The optical fibre cable will run between Mt Lavinia (Sri Lanka) and Tuticorin (325 km) with an initial bandwidth of 20 gigabits per second, later to be upgraded to 160 gigabits per second. This will promote the IT investment in South India by improved telecom infrastructure.

The port is also helping increase the tourism in the region. A new ferry has been commenced between Tuticorin and Colombo.

The district constitutes 70 per cent of the total salt production of Tamil Nadu and 30 per cent of that of India.

Paddy is cultivated in the Srivaikundam, Sattankulam and Tiruchendur taluks. Cumbu, Cholam, Kuthiraivali and other pulses are raised in the dry tracts of Kovilpatti, Vilathikulam, Ottapidaram, and Thoothukudi taluks. Cotton is cultivated in Kovilpatti, Ottapidaram and Thoothukudi taluks. Groundnut cultivation is undertaken in Kovilpatti, Tiruchendur, and Sattankulam taluks. Groundnut cake is being used as manure and cattle feed.

With 35% share, the district is the top producer of Cumbu in Tamil Nadu.[1]

Palmyrah trees are grown mostly in Tiruchendur, Srivaikundam, Sattankulam and Vilathikulam taluks. Jaggery is produced from palmyrah juice; the production of jaggery is the main occupation of the people of Tiruchendur and Sattankulam taluks. Banana and other vegetables are raised in Srivaikundam and Tiruchendur taluks. The road going towards kulayankarisal from Thiruchendur has banana farms on one side and a salt farm on the other; each farm needs a different type of water. Thoothukudi is the largest exporter of Banana in Tamilnadu.

1. Airport - is at Vagaikulam [From April 1, 2006, Airdeccan started daily flights to and from Chennai]. The Airport runway is being extended to facilitate landing of large airplanes and the night landing facility will be established soon.
2. Port - One among twelve major ports of India. It has one of the best container terminals in India and is operated by the Port of Singapore.
3. Rail - Connected by Broad Gauge Rail [Tirunelveli, Chennai, Mysore, Bangalore, Madurai and Trivandrum]. Tuticorin City Railway Station is declared as a Model Station^{[citation needed]} and several infrastructure developments are in process.
4. Road - Connected by National Highways with Madurai and Tirunelveli. At present the three roads connecting Thoothukudi with Madurai, Tirunelveli, and Ramnad are being converted into four-lane highways.

As of 2001 India census,^[9] Thoothukkudi had a population of 216,058. Current population is about 600,000. Males constitute 50 per cent of the population and females 50 per cent. Thoothukkudi has an average literacy rate of 82 per cent, higher than the national average of 59.5 per cent. Male literacy is 85 per cent; female literacy is 79 per cent. In Thoothukkudi, 11 per cent of the population is under six years of age

 Schools in Thoothukudi

1. APC Veerabahu Matric Higher Secondary School
2. BMC Matriculation Higher Secondary School
3. Caldwell Higher Secondary School
4. Charles Matriculation School
5. C.M. Middle School
6. C.M. Higher Secondary School
7. C.V. High School
8. Das Navis Matha Girls Higher Secondary School
9. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Memorial Harbour Matriculation School
10. Geetha Matriculation Higher Secondary School
11. Harbour Higher Secondary School
12. Holy Cross Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School
13. Holy Cross Girls Higher Secondary School
14. Eben Marticulation School
15. Kamak Matriculation Higher Secondary School
16. Karapettai Nadar Girls Higher Secondary School
17. Karapettai Nadar Boys Higher Secondary School
18. K.V.S Matriculation School
19. Leo Matriculation School
20. M.M. Matriculation School
21. St.Lasalle Higher Secondary School
22. Rosammal Memorial Higher Secondary School
23. S.A.V Higher Secondary School
24. Sakthi Vinayakar Hindu Vidyalaya
25. S.D.A Matriculation High School
26. Spic Nagar Higher Secondary School
27. Star Matriculation Higher Secondary School
28. St.Aloysious Girls Higher Secondary School
29. St.Francis Xavier Higher Secondary School
30. St.Joseph Girls Higher Secondary School
31. St.Mary's Boys Higher Secondary School
32. St.Marys Industrial School
33. St.Thomas Matriculation Higher Secondary School
34. Subbiah Vidyalayam Boys Higher Secondary School
35. Subbiah Vidyalayam Girls Higher Secondary School
36. Victoria Girls Higher Secondary School
37. Vikasa Hr. Sec. School
38. Virudhunagar Nadar Kamarajar Matriculation High School
39. V.V. Higher Secondary School
40. X'n matriculation School

 Colleges in Thoothukudi:

Arts & Science

1. A.P.C. Mahalakshmi College
2. Bishop Caldwell Arts and Science College
3. Kamaraj College
4. St.Mary's College for Women
5. V.O.C. Arts & Science College

Education

1. Annammal College of Education for Women
2. V.O.C. College of Education
3. Holy Cross Home Science College

Medical

1. Government Medical College

Industrial

1. Government Polytechnic College
2. Samuel Polytechnic College
3. Chandy Polytechnic college
4. Government Industrial Training Institute

Other

1. Government Fisheries Institute
2. Government Music College
3. Tamilnadu Maritime Academy

The city of Tuticorin has seven local TV Channels.

All India Radio is located in Tuticorin. It provides an international broadcasting service. Some new FM radio stations are in the process of coming on-air–Hello FM by Dina Thanthi group (is functioning since october 2007), Kal FM, Big FM .

The city has several Local TV Channels, such as AMN, SDR, Sathya, Pavalam, Kings, Karan, etc

Jesus TV based at Tuticorin has upgraded itself as a Satellite Channel.

Moses Jeevanandam, former student of Caldwell Higher Secondary School, represented India in basketball.

Shalini, former student of St. Mary's College, represented India in beach volleyball.

Kamaraj, former student of St. Xaviers Higher Secondary School, represented India in volleyball.

Others represented India in games including weightlifting, fencing and field hockey.

Tuticorin and its surroundings is called the nursery of volleyball.

In the 1980s, Tuticorin basketball coach Renga Chari, or "Chari", trained many basketball players in this region. Moses Jeevanandam is among them. Tuticorin

piramanayagam, former student of St.Marys Boys hr sec school, reprensented India in kabbadi

• Veerapandiya Kattabomman was a chieftain who refused to bow down to the demands of the British for agricultural tax on native land and laid down his life for the cause of independence. The fight he launched in Panchalankurichi has been hailed as the inspiration behind the first battle of independence of 1857, which the British called the Sepoy Mutiny.

• The great Tamil poet Subramanya Bharathi was from Ettayapuram in the erstwhile Tirunelveli district before the Thoothukudi district was carved out. He composed poems foreseeing India's freedom, many articles on many subjects, and the unity of India in spite of its variety of languages, religion and cultures.

• V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, one of the freedom fighters of India, who in 1906 launched the first swadeshi ship S.S. Gaelia in British India. Cruz Fernandez, the municipal chairman, who was responsible for bringing water from Vallanad to Tuticorin. He did many things for Tuticorin development.

• JLP Roche Victoria, former state minister, who pioneered the Vallanad water project which is the lifeline of Tuticorin.

• Chandrababu, famous tamil actor who proved his excellent acting skills in comical and supporting roles.

• Veerapandiya pulavar@Sri Sankaramoorthy pulavar, a renowned poet who had written Sri Pagam Priyal Pillaith Tamizh in the name of the goddess of the Tuticorin city

• vaanchi nathan

Churches

Our Lady of Snows Church

• Ports in India
• Kolkata Port

• pearlcity express train timing
• Thoothukudi, J pushparaj and j David samuel lawrence
• Muthunagar
• Tuticorin News
• Tuticorin City
• [2]

v • d • e Portuguese Empire

North Africa  15th century 1415–1640  Ceuta 1458–1550  Alcácer Ceguer (El Qsar es Seghir) 1471–1550  Arzila (Asilah) 1471–1662  Tangier 1485–1550  Mazagan (El Jadida) 1487- middle 16th century  Ouadane 1488–1541  Safim (Safi) 16th century 1505–1769  Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué (Agadir) 1506–1525  Mogador (Essaouira) 1506–1525  Aguz (Souira Guedima) 1506–1769  Mazagan (El Jadida) 1513–1541  Azamor (Azemmour) 1577–1589  Arzila (Asilah) Sub-Saharan Africa  15th century 1455–1633  Arguin 1470–1975  São Tomé1 1474–1778  Annobón 1478–1778  Fernando Poo (Bioko) 1482–1637  Elmina (São Jorge da Mina) 1482–1642  Portuguese Gold Coast 1496–1550  Madagascar (part) 1498–1540  Mascarene Islands 16th century 1500–1630  Malindi 1500–1975  Príncipe1 1501–1975  Portuguese E. Africa (Mozambique) 1502–1659  St. Helena 1503–1698  Zanzibar 1505–1512  Quíloa (Kilwa) 1506–1511  Socotra 1557–1578  Accra 1575–1975  Portuguese W. Africa (Angola) 1588–1974  Cacheu2 1593–1698  Mombassa (Mombasa) 17th century 1642–1975  Cape Verde 1645–1888  Ziguinchor 1680–1961  São João Baptista de Ajudá 1687–1974  Bissau2 18th century 1728–1729  Mombassa (Mombasa) 1753–1975  São Tomé and Príncipe 19th century 1879–1974  Portuguese Guinea 1885–1975  Portuguese Congo (Cabinda) 1 Part of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1753.   2 Part of Portuguese Guinea from 1879. Southwest Asia  16th century 1506–1615  Gamru (Bandar Abbas) 1507-1643  Sohar 1515–1622  Hormuz (Ormus) 1515-1648  Quriyat 1515-?   Qalhat 1515–1650  Muscat 1515?-?   Barka 1515-1633? Julfar (Ras al-Khaimah) 1521–1602  Bahrain (Al Muharraq and Manama) 1521-1529?  Qatif 1521?-1551? Tarut Island 1550-1551  Qatif 1588-1648  Matrah 17th century 1620-?   Khor Fakkan 1621?-?   As Sib 1621-1622  Qeshm 1623-?   Khasab 1623-?   Libedia 1624-?   Kalba 1624-?   Madha 1624-1648  Diba al-Hisn 1624?-?   Bandar-e Kong Indian subcontinent  15th century 1498–1545  Laccadive Islands (Lakshadweep) 16th century Portuguese India    1500–1663  Cochim (Kochi)    1502–1661  Quilon (Coulão/Kollam)    1502–1663  Cannanore (Kannur)    1507–1657  Negapatam (Nagapattinam)    1510–1962  Goa    1512–1525  Calicut (Kozhikode)    1518–1619  Paliacate (Pulicat)    1521–1740  Chaul    1523–1662  São Tomé de Meliapore    1528–1666  Chittagong    1534–1601  Salsette Island    1534–1661  Bombay (Mumbai)    1535–1739  Baçaím (Vasai-Virar)    1536–1662  Cranganore (Kodungallur)    1540–1612  Surat    1548–1658  Tuticorin (Thoothukudi)    1559–1962  Daman and Diu    1568–1659  Mangalore    1579–1632  Hughli    1598–1610  Masulipatnam (Machilipatnam) 1518–1521  Maldives 1518–1658  Portuguese Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1558–1573  Maldives 17th century Portuguese India    1687–1749  São Tomé de Meliapore 18th century Portuguese India    1779–1954  Dadra and Nagar Haveli East Asia and Oceania  16th century 1511–1641  Malacca 1512–1621  Banda Islands 1512–1621  Moluccas (Maluku Islands)    1522–1575  Ternate    1576–1605  Ambon    1578–1650  Tidore 1512–1665  Makassar 1553–1999  Macau 1533-1545  Ning-po 1571–1639  Decima (Dejima, Nagasaki) 17th century 1642–1975  Portuguese Timor (East Timor)1 19th century Macau    1864–1999  Coloane    1851–1999  Taipa    1890–1999  Ilha Verde 20th century Macau    1938–1941  Lapa and Montanha (Hengqin) 1 1975 is the date of East Timor's Declaration of Independence and subsequent invasion by Indonesia. In 2002, the independence of East Timor was recognized by Portugal and the rest of the world. North America and the North Atlantic Ocean  15th century 1420           Madeira 1432           Azores 16th century 1501–1570?  Terra Nova (Newfoundland) 1501-1570?  Labrador 1519–1570?  Nova Scotia Central and South America  16th century 1500–1822  Brazil 1536–1620  Barbados 17th century 1680–1777  Nova Colônia do Sacramento 19th century 1808–1822  Cisplatina (Uruguay) Portuguese colonization of the Americas

v • d • e State of Tamil Nadu  ·  · Portal
Topics:	Cinema · Cuisine · Economy · Government · History · Language · Literature · Music · People · Politics · Temples · Wildlife ·
Capital:	Chennai  · State bird: Emerald Dove  · State Animal: Nilgiri Tahr  · State Tree: Palm Tree  · State flower: Gloriosa Lily  ·
Districts:	Chennai · Coimbatore · Cuddalore · Dharmapuri · Dindigul · Erode · Kanchipuram · Kanyakumari · Karur · Krishnagiri · Madurai · Nagapattinam · Namakkal · Perambalur · Pudukkottai · Ramanathapuram · Salem · Sivaganga · Thanjavur · The Nilgiris · Theni · Thoothukudi · Tiruchirapalli Tirunelveli · Tiruvallur · Tiruvannamalai · Tiruvarur · Vellore · Viluppuram · Virudhunagar
Major cities:	Chennai  · Coimbatore  · Erode  · Madurai  · Salem · Tiruchirapalli · Tirunelveli  · Tirupur
Protected areas:	Biosphere Reserves: · Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve · Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve · Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve · National Parks: Guindy National Park · Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park · Indira Gandhi National Park · Mudumalai National Park · Mukurthi National Park · Palani Hills National Park Wildlife Sanctuaries: Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary · Vallanadu Wildlife Sanctuary · Bird Sanctuaries: Koothankulam Bird Sanctuary · Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary · Conservation reserves: Tiruvidaimarudur Conservation Reserve