N. Kumar, Chairman – Group Corporate Board, The Sanmar Group
As a resident of Chennai since the age of one, I have seen the city grow and expand continually. I remember playing cricket in small grounds, watching movies in theatres, and cycling through sparse traffic to school.
Just like my elder brother and former Chairman of the Sanmar group, the late N. Sankar, I went to the Madras Christian College School. After that I went to Loyola College, and then College of Engineering, Guindy.
Today, the city is buzzing with automobiles, which has made cycling unadvisable; it has fewer theatres and playgrounds to keep us entertained. Real estate prices have risen so much, making me wonder if they were lands or oil fields. Those days, eating out was special. Today, it has become a regular affair and there are a multitude of apps for ordering in.
The transformation of two arterial roads – the ECR and the OMR – is a sight to behold. I had a factory in Perungudi and driving there, I would wonder at the sheer number of open spaces. Today, I find it difficult to spot a piece of vacant land in the whole stretch.
Nevertheless, everything is just as beautiful as before, and I would not change a thing nor consider moving out of Madras. Incidentally, it’s still Madras for my generation.
The ever vibrant, modern version of Madras—has tremendous potential to reach greater heights.
(As told to Sangeetha Kandavel)
Published – August 09, 2025 01:03 am IST