Chennai formerly known as Madras is the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal, it is one of the biggest cultural, economic and educational centres in South India. According to the 2011 Indian census, it is the fifth-largest city and fourth-most populous urban agglomeration in India.

The Quality of Living Survey rated Chennai as the safest city in India.Chennai attracts 45 percent of health tourists visiting India, and 30 to 40 percent of domestic health tourists.As such, it is termed “India's health capital”.

• Chennai had the third-largest expatriate population in India at 35,000 in 2009, 82,790 in 2011 and estimated at over 100,000 by 2016.
• Chennai is ranked as a beta-level city in the Global Cities Index and was ranked the best city in India by India Today in the 2014 annual Indian city survey.
• Chennai was added to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) list for its rich musical tradition.
• The Chennai Metropolitan Area is one of the largest city economies of India.
• Chennai is nicknamed “The Detroit of India”