Did You Know Where British Rule in India Really Began?
Written by Karan Sharma
When the British first arrived in India, trade alone was not enough for them.
They wanted a strong base to protect their interests.
That base became
Fort St. George
on the Coromandel Coast.
Built by the East India Company in 1640, it was Britain’s first permanent structure in India.
What started as a small fortified warehouse soon turned into a power center.
The fort quietly laid the foundation of British political control in India.
Inside it stands
St. Mary’s Church
, India’s oldest surviving Anglican church.
The fort survived wars, invasions, and centuries of change.
Around it, a city slowly grew and evolved. Today, that city is known as Chennai.