Second edition of ‘Madras– Its Past and Its Present’ launched
Posted on: 20/May/2011 12:27:55 AM
Murugappa Group launch the second edition of ‘Madras – Its Past and Its Present’, M V Subbiah, Chairman, National Skill Development Corporation and Former Chairman, Murugappa Group, released the first copy of the book, authored by S Muthiah, featuring photographs from Vintage Vignettes Collection and D Krishnan. Attended by some of the city’s most eminent personalities, the first copy was handed over to S.L. Chitale, a senior architect. Sponsored by the Murugappa Group, one of India’s leading business conglomerates with over 100 years of history and pedigree, the first edition of the book was published 15 years ago.
Releasing the book, M V Subbiah said, “It is a great pleasure to hand-over the first copy to Mr Chitale, one of the senior most architects we have in our city today, who believes in preserving the old buildings in the city. We are also truly honoured to have S Muthiah who has authored the book and his contribution will definitely keep the old buildings, the heritage and the history of this city remembered.”
Speaking at the function, The Historian of Madras, as he’s popularly referred to, S. Muthiah said, “The only celebration of note on Madras’ 350th birthday in 1989 was a prize-rich quiz show and the release of ‘Madras- The Gracious City’. Since ‘Madras- The Gracious City’ was published, several of the buildings that were featured in it were pulled down. ‘Madras – Its Past and Its Present’ is a companion volume to ‘Madras- The Gracious City’. These books, therefore, remain not only as memorial to them, but also the only permanent record of what those buildings looked like.”
Madras – Its Past and Its Present is another memorial to much of the Madras that belonged to a more spacious and gracious age but which is slowly vanishing. It contains a record in word and picture of the transformation of Madras city from its founding in 1639 to the metropolis of today. It provides a glimpse of life as it was, identifying the buildings of the Past- some of which survive and some of which vanished- and showing how the city has changed, as it doubled its area and as its population grew tenfold, is Madras - Its Past and Present. A portrait of a city that’s one of the great cities in the world, but which can still surprise with its aura of an overgrown village.
