Alliance Française de Madras

Last updated • 2 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Alliance Française of Madras
L'Alliance Française of Madras
Founded10 August 1953
TypeFrench cultural and language center
Location
Area served
Tamil Nadu, India
ProductFrench cultural and language education
Key people
Director: Patricia Thery-Hart
Deputy Director / Course Director:
Website madras.afindia.org

Alliance Française of Madras (French: L'Alliance Française de Madras) is a Franco-Indian non-profit association in Chennai, India, that works to promote the cultural relations between India and France in Tamil Nadu and also with a mission to teach the French language to the people in the region. It was formed in 1953.

Contents

History

The city's relations with France date back to the 18th century. [1] In 1948, a French Group, consisting mostly of Indian citizens, was formed to spread the French language and culture. Four years later, on 10 August 1953, the group officially became an Alliance Française, registered under the Indian Societies Act XXI of 1860 against the number 39/1953.

In 1991, the Translation Cell of Alliance Française of Madras was founded.

In December 2022, a new building named "Espace 24" was opened in the premises to house the centre for cultural research and studies. [1] The building has classrooms and event spaces and hosts art and cultural exhibitions. [1]

Institution

Alliance Française of Madras is part of the network of the 14 Alliances Françaises in India, under the jurisdiction of the Embassy of France in New Delhi and of the larger network of Alliances Françaises in 136 countries around the world, which themselves come under the Fondation Alliance Française in Paris.

The Alliance Française of Madras is situated in College Road, Nungambakkam. The premises covers more than 2,600 square metres (28,000 sq ft) and includes a garden, parking spaces and the main building. The building occupies 1,700 square metres (18,000 sq ft) spread over three floors. There are eight classrooms, an exhibition gallery, a library-cum-multimedia centre, an auditorium and a cafeteria (La Cantine). The library-cum-multimedia centre situated at the entrance covers 130 sq m and was renovated in 2008. It has four rooms. It is open on all days except Sundays. The Edouard Michelin Auditorium, which can accommodate 180 persons, is used for film projections, plays, lectures and discussions.

About 3,000 students enroll at the Alliance Française of Madras every year to learn French. [2] The Alliance française de Madras is only centre in Tamil Nadu to offer DELF and DALF examinations, as well as French language assessment of CCIP (Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Paris) such as TEF and DFP.

The Alliance Française of Madras also has branches outside Chennai, in Coimbatore and Trichy. [3]

Publication

Prélude (Prelude) is a monthly programme published by the Alliance Française of Madras. It provides information about the cultural events and the language courses scheduled for the next two months. The 16-page newsletter in color is made available only to the members of the Alliance, although it is distributed during events at the Alliance or given to occasional visitors.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamil Nadu</span> State in southern India

Tamil Nadu is the southernmost state of India. The tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population, Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, who speak the Tamil language, one of the longest surviving classical languages and serves as its official language. The capital and largest city is Chennai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chennai</span> Capital of Tamil Nadu, India

Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is the state's primate city and is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Chennai is the sixth-most populous city in India and forms the fourth-most populous urban agglomeration. Incorporated in 1688, the Greater Chennai Corporation is the oldest municipal corporation of India and the second oldest in the world after London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiruchirappalli</span> City in Tamil Nadu, India

Tiruchirappalli, also called Tiruchi or Trichy, is a major tier II city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. The city is credited with being the best livable city, the cleanest city of Tamil Nadu, as well as the fifth safest city for women in India. It is the fourth largest city as well as the fourth largest urban agglomeration in the state. Located 322 kilometres (200 mi) south of Chennai and 374 kilometres (232 mi) north of Kanyakumari, Tiruchirappalli sits almost at the geographic centre of Tamil Nadu state. The Cauvery Delta begins 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) west of the city where the Kaveri river splits into two, forming the island of Srirangam which is now incorporated into the Tiruchirappalli City Municipal Corporation. The city occupies an area of 167.23 square kilometres (64.57 sq mi) and had a population of 916,857 in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South India</span> Region in India

South India, also known as Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area and 20% of India's population. It is bound by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean in the south. The geography of the region is diverse, with two mountain ranges, the Western and Eastern Ghats, bordering the plateau heartland. The Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Tungabhadra and Vaigai rivers are important non-perennial sources of water. Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Kochi are the largest urban areas in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TIDEL Park</span> Tech Park in Chennai, India

TIDEL Park is an information technology (IT) park situated in the city of Chennai, India. The name TIDEL is a portmanteau of TIDCO and ELCOT. An ISO 9001/14001 company, In 2000, it was one of the largest IT parks in India. It was set up in 2000 to foster the growth of information technology in the state of Tamil Nadu by the TIDEL Park Ltd, a joint venture of TIDCO and ELCOT.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Chennai</span>

Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and is India's fifth largest city. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. With an estimated population of 8.9 million (2014), the 383-year-old city is the 31st largest metropolitan area in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Chennai</span>

The culture of Chennai, popularly called the "Gateway to the South India", is distinct from that of any other Indian city. Being a cosmopolitan hub, the city's culture reflects its diverse population that has resulted in a unique blend. Though a modern metropolis, Chennai continues to be traditional and conventional in certain ways. Traditional music, dance and all other art forms of Tamil Nadu are very popular in the city. One can find a peculiar cultural blend in city, from traditional foods to fast foods, from ancient temple architecture to modern high-rises, and from classical music and dance to the growing nightlife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai</span> Law college in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, commonly known by its former name Madras Law College, is a law school, located in Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu, India. It is also referred to as Government Law College or GLC, Chennai. It was established in 1891. It was renamed in 1990, as Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, by the Government of Tamil Nadu in commemoration of the birth centenary of B. R. Ambedkar. In 1997, the Government of Tamil Nadu passed an Act which brought the college under the wings of the newly established Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, splitting the college from the University of Madras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital</span> Hospital in Tamil Nadu, India

Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital is a major state-owned hospital situated in Chennai, India. The hospital is funded and managed by the state government of Tamil Nadu. Founded in 1664 by the British East India Company, it is the first modern hospital in India. In the 19th century, the Madras Medical College joined it. As of 2018, the hospital receives an average of 12,000 outpatients every day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiruchirappalli International Airport</span> International airport in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India

Tiruchirappalli International Airport is an international airport serving Tiruchirappalli in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The airport, spread over an area of 702.02 acres (284.10 ha), is located on National Highway 336, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city centre. As of 2024, it is 31st busiest airport in India for passengers handled and 10th busiest for total international aircraft movement. It is the third-busiest airport within Tamil Nadu in terms of total passenger traffic, after Chennai and Coimbatore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ripon Building</span> Heritage building in India

The Ripon Building is the seat and headquarters of the Greater Chennai Corporation in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is an example of neoclassical architecture, a combination of Ionic and Corinthian styles. The Ripon Building is an all-white structure and is located near the Chennai Central railway station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority</span> State agency of Tamil Nadu

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), formerly known as the Madras Metropolitan Development Authority (MMDA), is the nodal planning agency of Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The CMDA administers the Chennai Metropolitan Region, spread over an area of 5,904 km2 (2,280 sq mi) and covers the districts of Chennai, Thiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Ranipet and Kancheepuram. It was set up for the purposes of planning, co-ordination, supervising, promoting and securing the planned development of the Chennai Metropolitan Area. It coordinates the development activities of the municipal corporations, municipalities and other local authorities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madras Central Prison</span> Former prison in India

Madras Central Prison was one of the oldest prisons in India. It was located in Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It became operational during the British Raj period. Its prisoners were moved to the newly constructed Puzhal Central Prison starting in 2006, with the 172 year old prison being demolished in June 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Centenary Library</span> Public Library in India

The Anna Centenary Library (ACL) is an established state library of the Government of Tamil Nadu. It is located at Kotturpuram, Chennai. It is built at a cost of 172 crores. It is named after a former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, C. N. Annadurai. It was opened by the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. Karunanidhi. The average number of persons who visited the library between January and October 2011 is around 26,500, compared to the monthly average of 20,000 in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birla Planetarium, Chennai</span> Planetarium museum in Chennai, India.

B. M. Birla Planetarium is a large planetarium in Chennai, India. The fifth B. M. Birla planetarium in the country, it is located at Kotturpuram in the Periyar Science and Technology Centre campus which houses eight galleries, namely, Physical Science, Electronics and Communication, Energy, Life Science, Innovation, Transport, International Dolls and Children and Materials Science, with over 500 exhibits. Built in 1988 in the memory of the great industrialist and visionary of India B. M. Birla, it is considered the most modern planetarium in India, providing a virtual tour of the night sky and holding cosmic shows on a specially perforated hemispherical aluminium inner dome. Other Birla planetariums in India include the M. P. Birla Planetarium in Kolkata, the Birla Planetarium in Hyderabad, and the planetariums in Tiruchirapalli and Coimbatore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madras State</span> Former state of India (1947–69)

Madras State was a state of India which was in existence during the mid-20th century. The state came into existence on 26 January 1950 when the Constitution of India was adopted and included the present-day Tamil Nadu, Kerala and parts of neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Andhra state was separated in 1953 and the state was further re-organized when states were redrawn linguistically in 1956. On 14 January 1969, the state was renamed as Tamil Nadu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ranjankudi Fort</span>

Ranjankudi Fort is a 15th-century fortress located about 16 km (9.9 mi) north of the town of Perambalur in Tamil Nadu, India. The fort is located 16 km (9.9 mi) north of Perambalur in NH 45 in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 253 km (157 mi) away from the state capital Chennai and 70 km (43 mi) from Trichy.The fort was constructed by Vijayanagar Nayaka Kings. Then occupied by Nawab of the Carnatic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Consulate General of Russia, Chennai</span> Diplomatic mission in India

The Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Chennai represents the interests of the Russian government in the southern region of India. The other missions are the Embassy of the Russian Federation in New Delhi and the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Kolkata and Mumbai. The current Consul General is Oleg N. Avdeev, incumbent since 12 September 2018. He succeeds Sergey L. Kotov.

The Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Chennai represents the interests of the German government in the Chennai and surrounding regions. The current Consul General is Michaela Küchler, incumbent since 2022. She succeeds Karin Christina Maria Stoll.

Chennai, with historically rich records dating at least from the time of the Pallavas, houses 2,467 heritage buildings within its metropolitan area (CMA), the highest within any metropolitan area limit in India. Most of these buildings are around 200 years old and older. Chennai is home to the second largest collection of heritage buildings in the country, after Kolkata. The official list of heritage buildings was compiled by the Justice E. Padmanabhan committee. The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed the Heritage Commission Act in 2012 to preserve old heritage structures.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Alliance Française of Madras gets a new building". The Hindu. Chennai: Kasturi & Sons. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  2. Kannan, Uma (3 May 2012). "Job seekers interested in learning foreign languages". Deccan Chronicle. Chennai: Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  3. "Alliance Française of Madras opens branch in Trichy". The Hindu . Tiruchi. 26 March 2010. Archived from the original on 31 March 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2012.