CHENNAI: Every year, the city adds a few feathers to its crown. And 2024 was no less. It was an eventful one for Chennai. The launch of Kalaignar Centenary Park, the renovation of Gunidy Children’s Park, and Gemini Flyover’s new look added to the city’s beauty. Legends were celebrated, sportspersons shone in their game, music and art took centre stage, and residents fell in love with parrots. As we wrap up the year, here’s to...
Chess: Indian chess was the talk of the town for the whole year. In April, D Gukesh won the Candidates Tournament 2024 to advance to the World Chess Championship in Singapore. The 18-year-old held his nerve against the defending champion Ding Liren to emerge as the youngest undisputed world champion.
The city also hosted Chennai Grand Masters in October where Aravindh Chithambaram emerged as a winner and Arjun Erigaisi finished third. The 45th Chess Olympiad in September was another proud moment for the city and country as India won the gold medal in both the Open and Women’s events, which were the country’s first overall victories at the Chess Olympiad.
Flower show
In June 2022, Chennai initiated a flower show, a tradition it now has in common with the hilly regions. In 2024, a ten-day flower show was organised at Semmozhi Poonga in February to ensure it is completed before the temperature starts to intensify. The event featured floral displays spread across three acres of land.
It stands out as one of the marquee events of the year, drawing long queues eager to witness the spectacle. The show featured over 12 lakh flowers and showcased display pieces including teddy bears, boats, clocks, a tower garden, elephants, butterflies, tortoises, birds, arches, and flower carpets. The plants were nurtured in nurseries from December and brought to the city on February 1 to acclimatise to the temperature.
Kalaignar park
Influencers on social media have officially declared the Kalaignar Centenary Park the new ‘hangout spot’. Replete with a zipline, a pergola, a glass house garden, a restaurant all constructed for Rs 46 crore on a six-acre space, the park drew large crowds after it was opened. Several reels have been doing the rounds on social media on the ‘Singapore-style’ park. Minor issues to be ironed out remain. The weekend crowds are causing traffic congestion in the area and the zipline allegedly ran into a few hitches, days after it was opened.
Vyasarpadi exhibition
Beyond the concept of displaying photographs in museums and arthouses, residents of Vyasarpadi captured the essence of Vada Chennai through their lens and exhibited it in Vyasarpadi’s JJR Nagar. Eight young photographers, all students of Vyasai Thozhargal and first-generation learners, broke the stigma, and boundaries of what photography can be and tell their narratives. Over 300 photographs featured in the ‘Engal Therukkal Engal Kadhaigal’ (Our Streets Our Stories) exhibition. This was a result of a year-long workshop by photographer M Palani Kumar.
Van Gogh Experience
Namma Chennai misses no opportunity to bring new exposures and create artistic avenues. In February, The Real Van Gogh Immersive Experience came to the city. Art lovers got a chance to indulge in the Starry Nights and the life and times of the Dutch colourblind artist at this 360-degree show.
Anna flyover
In August 2024, Chennai’s iconic Anna Flyover, also known as Gemini Flyover, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a makeover costing Rs 10.9 crore. The upgrades included vibrant lighting, GRC panels for pillars, enhanced greenery, pedestrian walkways, and an artificial fountain, scoring a 100 on the aesthetics score. The flyover now features decorative elements reflecting Dravidian architecture, such as Yazhi sculptures and triangular stupas on the pillars. The recent enhancements are an attempt to honour its cultural heritage while the colourful lights light up worn out commuters after a long day, albeit briefly.
Khelo India
Over 5,600 athletes from all over the country competed at the Khelo India Youth Games 2024, which ran from January 19 to 31. Tamil Nadu hosted the KIYG 2024 in four cities — Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchy and Coimbatore. A total of 926 medals were on offer across 26 sports as the host state finished second with 38 gold, 21 silver, and 39 bronze for their best-ever finish.
Kite Festival
In August, The 3rd Tamil Nadu International Kite Festival was a vibrant spectacle featuring 250 kites from countries like Germany, France, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and India. Held for the third consecutive year, the event drew enthusiastic crowds to Thiruvidanthai Beach, creating a festive atmosphere.
Marina swimming pool
The city corporation opened up a renovated Marina swimming pool this year at a cost of Rs 1.37 crore. A QR code system has been introduced for booking swim sessions and for paying fees. The renovation works included painting and beautifying the walkway around the pool, installing new tiles and stones on the pathway, adding a roof for seating areas, improving dressing rooms, restrooms, and bathing facilities, and better lighting. Colourful murals on the walls stand out against the pool’s blue. The pool has long been a summer favourite, originally constructed several decades ago and has now grown to become a landmark of sorts.
TIDEL park Pattabiram
Avadi’s very own IT hub was opened up in November this year. The Chief Minister inaugurated the 21-storey IT park that can accommodate nearly 6,000 professionals and constructed at a cost of Rs 330 crore. It offers amenities such as 24/7 electricity, a seminar hall, fitness centre, restaurants, and parking space. While the swanky new IT park may keep you comfortable as long as you’re inside, Avadi’s roads, however, need fixing, Residents have been urging the young corporation to fix its civic infrastructure gaps, roads in particular.
Indian Racing League Chennai debut
Considering India’s ever-growing number of motorsport fans, Chennai hosted the Indian Racing Festival (IRF) 2024 in August-September. The Chennai Formula Racing Circuit, a 3.5-km street circuit around Island Grounds, hosted South Asia’s first-ever night race on the debut of the F4 India Championship. Some technical issues and rain delays did not dampen the mood. Goa Aces JA Racing’s Raoul Hyman took the first race, while Demons Delhi’s Álvaro Parente took the second one.
Guindy children’s park
The children’s nature park at Guindy was recently remodeled at a cost of `30 crore. It now has an air conditioned library for children, a wildlife awareness centre and an aviary sprawling 30,000 square feet. It has become a children’s favourite with designated zones for sports and picnic areas. Parents get to relax amid the carefully landscaped gardens, and shady trees that provide an escape from the urban hustle.
Arivu’s album launch
Arivu returned to songs of his grandmother, stories of bravery, and experiences born from bitter paavaka-seeds of discrimination after two years of Enjoy Enjaami. His 12-song album Valliamma Peraandi: Vol 01 — with record label Sony Music India — tackles themes of untouchability, love, resistance, and family and was launched in July. The album travels across jazz, EDM, folk styles, and hip-hop genres, and involves contributions from other artists like Rashmeet Kaur and Gaana Bala. The entry into the track pulls listeners into Arivu’s inner world addressing societal indifference, leading the listener to think and question them.
Inauguration of Madras International Karting Arena (MIKA) circuit
Double Formula One World Champion Mika Hakkinen flagged off Indian motorsports on a new journey by inaugurating the state-of-the-art Madras International Karting Arena (M.I.K.A.) in September alongside Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok. Conceived and developed by the Madras Motor Sports Club, the 1.2-km long circuit, designed by UK-based Driven International in active consultation with Karun, is the first of its kind in India. Mika, along with Narain and Karun, had performed demonstration laps on the new track in specially prepared electric karts on the inauguration day. Narain had described the circuit as challenging, but a driver’s delight.
Tribute to MS Amma
In a photographic tribute to MS Subbulakshmi on her 108th birth anniversary, Collaborating with costume stylist Anu Parthasarathy, actor Vidya Balan channeled the spirit of Carnatic music doyen in a photo series titled ‘A Recreation of Iconic Styles’. The project showcased four saris worn by the singer between the 1960s and 1980s, recreated by Anu, with guidance from the MS’s granddaughter-in-law, Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar.
Heart traffic lights
The Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP) installed heart-shaped red signals across 25 traffic signals in Kamarajar Salai and Anna Salai to mark International Traffic Lights Day to commemorate the first installation of traffic lights in America. In an official post on X, the police said that when the light turns red, it’s more than just a signal to stop, it’s a reminder that the police care about the public’s safety. They also said that the idea was to raise awareness of how crucial it is to abide by traffic laws in order to prevent accidents. Residents immediately approved of the idea, especially Gen Z that declared the city ‘pookie-coded’.
Women’s Test cricket
Forty-eight years since hosting the last women’s Test match, MA Chidambaram Stadium witnessed a women’s Test match between India and South Africa in June/July. For India, Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana stole the show with the bat before Sneh Rana’s 10 wickets for the match gave India a commanding win by 10 wickets. At one point, it felt like South Africa would succumb under the pressure and the Test would finish in three days, but the visitors made India work hard for the win.
Chennai Comic Con
The city held its first ever Comic Con in February at Chennai Trade Centre. The two-day event brought together the community of comic books, manga, anime, superhero films, and all things fun. Tournaments, games and several other activities were held for cosplayers.
Bioluminiscence
In October, Chennaiites witnessed the bioluminiscence, the biochemical production and discharge of cold light from living organisms, on the coastline. Even as hundreds headed to the beach to witness this beauty, it highlighted the importance of conserving our coastal environment.
the birdman of chennai
The late September-released Tamil movie Meiyazhagan has mesmerising shots of several green-winged birds making their way to a terrace neatly lined with morsels of food. The protagonist, Arvind Swami’s Arulmozhi Varman, is inspired by Sudarson, whose passion caught director C Prem Kumar’s eye. The team shot this scene for three hours on a hot summer day in May. Rose-ringed parakeets — with their red beak, blue tail, loud ak ak sound and often found in a large company — frequent the open area at his terrace. After the movie’s release, Chennaiites flooded Sudarson’s Instagram DMs to catch sight of the birds and maybe go on a life-changing journey like Sudarson.
Chennai Kalai Theru vizha
Chennai Kalai Theru Vizha, an initiative promoting inclusivity through the arts, hosted ‘Porombokkiyal 2024’. This symposium celebrated the arts, sciences, and indigenous knowledge rooted in communal spaces. Discussions featured traditional practitioners, including women prawn pickers from Pazhaverkadu, rice conservationists from Thiruvannamalai, pastoralists from pookalam, and mukavinai musicians, highlighting their contributions to cultural and ecological sustainability. The event emphasised the value of grassroots knowledge and practices.
Kolathur co-working space
The city’s first government-run coworking space was inaugurated this year. This first one has been set up in Kolathur for students and entrepreneurs looking to find a dedicated space to study, work or brainstorm at reasonable charges. For using a desk at the space for half a day, a Rs 50 fee will be charged and for a full day, Rs 100 will be charged. The monthly membership is charged at Rs 2,500. It has high speed internet and a rooftop cafe. This has been set up jointly by the CMDA and the city corporation to mainly cater to the needs of North Chennai residents and they are now identifying spaces to set up others.
Drone showroom
Chennaiites can now visit the country’s first drone showroom-cum-experience centre to view leaps in technology and test the latest DGCA-approved drones, off the busy Luz Church Road. Launched in June by Garuda Aerospace Pvt Ltd, this 100-odd sq ft space is be filled with Virtual Reality stations and simulation centres. These stations provide experiential learning to fly these aerial vehicles.
