The fourth edition of The Hindu’s ‘Made of Chennai’ photo archives exhibition was held at the Kasturi Buildings and concluded on 15 September 2026. The exhibition, titled ‘Madras on Stage’, attracted a larger crowd than previous years and drew visitors from the arts, politics, media and academia.
Key Developments
- Curator Thirupurasundari Sevvel divided the display into three equal parts: performing arts, drama/stage, and cinema, covering works from the 1920s to the 2010s.
- Out of an archive of 2.5–3 million photographs, the team shortlisted 600 pictures, selected 181 for digital display and exhibited 100 physical prints.
- Notable historic figures photographed include playwright Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar and early Tamil cinema star M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar.
- International performers from the 1950s‑1990s, such as American jazz musicians, Egyptian folk dancers and Russian ballet troupes, were also featured.
- The exhibition was inaugurated by A. Rajmohan, Tamil Nadu Minister for School Education, Tamil Development and Information, and later toured by Minister S. Ramesh (Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments).
Important Facts
- Collection period: July – August 2026 for curating photographs.
- Digital conversion: 60% of physical prints already existed in digital format; the rest required manual retrieval.
- Visitor profile: daily footfall from school and college students; occasional visits by actors, historians, journalists and public officials.
- Historical verification: cross‑checked with past issues of Sport & Pastime and newspaper archives.
Exam Relevance
Understanding cultural heritage projects like this exhibition helps aspirants answer questions on preservation of art and history (GS1). The initiative illustrates how media houses act as custodians of archival material, linking to topics on public‑private partnerships in heritage conservation (GS2). The involvement of state ministers highlights the role of state governments in promoting cultural education (GS2). Moreover, the exhibition’s focus on diverse performing arts aligns with the UPSC syllabus on Indian culture, regional diversity and the evolution of cinema and theatre (GS1).
Way Forward
- Digitise the remaining 40% of physical archives to improve accessibility for researchers and the public.
- Expand collaborations with educational institutions to integrate archival photographs into curricula on history and arts.
- Encourage similar regional heritage exhibitions in other Indian cities to foster a pan‑Indian cultural narrative.
- Document and publish detailed captions and scholarly notes for each photograph to aid future academic work.
With the success of the 2026 edition, The Hindu plans to continue celebrating Madras’s cultural legacy in the next edition, further enriching India’s archival heritage.