Chennai : Ask Biography

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Chennai ( ; -taˈtɕennəj), formerly known as Madras ( ; -tamæˈdrəs) or Madarasapatinam ( ), is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India. As of 2011, Chennai had a population of 4.68 million within the area administered by the Corporation of Chennai and an extended metropolitan population of 8.69 million.

Chennai's economy has a broad industrial base in the automobile, computer, technology, hardware manufacturing and healthcare industries. The city is India's second largest exporter of software, information technology (IT) and information-technology-enabled services (ITES). A major chunk of India's automobile manufacturing industry is based in and around the city. Chennai accounts for 30% of the country's automotive exports and 40% of the auto components, which leads it to be called as 'The Detroit of Asia'.

Chennai is an important centre for Carnatic music and hosts a large cultural event, the annual Madras Music Season, which includes performances by hundreds of artists. The city has a vibrant theatre scene and is an important centre for the Bharata Natyam, a classical dance form. The Tamil film industry, currently the second largest film industry in India, is based in Chennai.