Coimbatore

There are multiple theories regarding the origin of the name Coimbatore. According to one theory, "Coimbatore" is a derivation of Kovanpudhur (literally 'new town of Kovan'), after chieftain Kovan or Koyan, evolved into Koyampuththoor[18] and later anglicised as Coimbatore.[19] Koyamma, the goddess worshipped by Koyan evolved into Koniamma and later Kovaiamma. Another theory states that the name could have been derived from Kovaiamma.[20]

The Sugarcane Breeding Institute at Coimbatore, 1928

The region around Coimbatore was ruled by the Cheras during Sangam period between c. 1st and the 4th centuries CE and it served as the eastern entrance to the Palakkad Gap, the principal trade route between the west coast and Tamil Nadu.[21] The Kosar tribe mentioned in the 2nd century CE Tamil epic Silappathikaram and other poems in Sangam literature is associated with the Coimbatore region.[22] The region was located along an ancient Roman trade route that extended from Muziris to Arikamedu.[23][24] The medieval Cholas conquered the Kongu Nadu in the 10th century. A Chola highway called Rajakesari Peruvazhi ran through the region.[25][26] Much of Tamil Nadu came under the rule of the Vijayanagara Empire by the 15th century. In the 1550s, Madurai Nayaks, who were the military governors of the Vijaynagara Empire, took control of the region. After the Vijayanagara Empire fell in the 17th century, the Madurai Nayaks established their state as an independent kingdom. They introduced the Palayakkarar system under which Kongu Nadu region was divided into 24 Palayams(towns).[27]

Aerial view of the city, circa 1930

In the latter part of the 18th century, the region came under the Kingdom of Mysore, following a series of wars with the Madurai Nayak dynasty. After the defeat of Tipu Sultan in the Anglo-Mysore Wars, the British East India Company annexed Coimbatore to the Madras Presidency in 1799. The Coimbatore region played a prominent role in the Second Poligar War (1801), when it was the area of operations of Dheeran Chinnamalai.[28] In 1804, Coimbatore was established as the capital of the newly formed Coimbatore district and in 1866 it was accorded municipality status.[29][30][31][32] Sir Robert Stanes became the first chairman of the Coimbatore City Council.[31] The region was hard hit during the Great Famine of 1876–78 resulting in nearly 200,000 famine related fatalities. The first three decades of the 20th century saw nearly 20,000 plague-related deaths and acute water shortage.[33][34]

The decline of the cotton industry in Mumbai fuelled an economic boom in Coimbatore in the 1920s and 1930s.[32] The region played a significant role in the Indian independence movement with Mahatma Gandhi visiting the city three times.[35] Coimbatore was the base of operations for such political figures as S. P. Narasimhalu Naidu, R. K. Shanmukham Chetty, C.S. Rathinasabapathy and C. Subramaniam during the independence movement.[36] Post independence, Coimbatore has seen rapid growth due to industrialisation and in 1981 it was constituted as a municipal corporation.[37] On 14 February 1998, the radical Islamist group Al Ummah bombed 11 places across the city killing 58 people and injuring more than 200.[38]

Western Ghats along the Coimbatore-Palakkad National Highway

Coimbatore lies at 11°1′6″N 76°58′21″E in south India at 427 metres (1401 ft) above sea level on the banks of the Noyyal River, in northwestern Tamil Nadu. It covers an area of 642.12 km² (247.92 sq mi).[6] It is surrounded by the Western Ghats mountain range to the west and the north, with reserve forests of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve on the northern side.[39] The Noyyal River forms the southern boundary of the city, which has an extensive tank system fed by the river and rainwater.[40][41] The eight major tanks and wetland areas of Coimbatore are namely, Singanallur, Valankulam, Ukkadam Periyakulam, Selvampathy, Narasampathi, Krishnampathi, Selvachinthamani, and Kumaraswami.[42] Multiple streams drain the waste water from the city.[40][43]

The city is divided into two distinctive geographic regions: the dry eastern side which includes majority of the urban area of the city and the western region which borders the Nilgiris, Anaimalai and Munnar ranges. Palghat Gap, a mountain pass which connects the neighbouring state of Kerala to Tamil Nadu, lies to the west of the city. Because of its location in the biodiversity hotspot of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city is rich in fauna and flora. The Coimbatore urban wetlands harbours around 116 species of birds, of which 66 are resident, 17 are migratory and 33 are local migrants.[44] The spot-billed pelican, painted stork, openbill stork, ibis, Indian spot-billed duck, teal and black-winged stilt visit the Coimbatore wetlands on their migration.[39] Apart from the species common to the plains, various threatened and endangered species such as Indian elephants, wild boars, leopards, Bengal tigers, gaurs, Nilgiri tahr, sloth bear and black-headed oriole are found in the region.[45]

The northern part of the city has a rich tropical evergreen forest with commercially significant trees such as teak, sandalwood, rosewood and bamboo. The soil is predominantly black, which is suitable for cotton cultivation, but some red loamy soil is also found. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards, Coimbatore falls under the Class III/IV Seismic Zone, having experienced an earthquake of magnitude 6.0 on the Richter scale on 8 February 1900.[46]

Under the Köppen climate classification, the city has a hot semi-arid climate (BSh), with a wet season lasting from September to November due to the northeast monsoon. The mean maximum temperature ranges from 35.9 °C (96.6 °F) to 29.2 °C (84.6 °F) and the mean minimum temperature ranges from 24.5 °C (76.1 °F) to 19.8 °C (67.6 °F).[47] The highest temperature ever recorded is 42.6 °C (108.7 °F) on 22 April 1976 while the lowest is 12.2 °C (54.0 °F) on 12 January 1957.[48]

Coimbatore has a tropical wet and dry climate. It experiences hot and humid summers from March to June with temperatures ranging from 25 °C to 38 °C. The monsoon season starts from July and lasts till October. The city receives moderate rainfall from the south-west monsoon and occasional heavy rainfall from the north-east monsoon. The winter season starts from November and ends in February. The temperatures during this season range from 20 °C to 30 °C.

Due to the south-west monsoon winds passing through the Palghat gap, elevated regions of the city receive rainfall in the months from June to August. After a warm and foggy September, the north-east monsoon starts from October, lasting until early November. The average annual rainfall is around 600 mm (23.6 in) with the northeast and the southwest monsoons contributing to 47% and 28% respectively to the total rainfall.[47] This periodic rainfall does not satisfy the city's water requirements throughout the year and water supply schemes like Siruvani and Pilloor maintain its availability during low rainfall months.[49][50]

Marudamalai Murugan Temple

Coimbatore has a population of 1,601,438.[13] As per the 2011 census based on pre-expansion city limits, Coimbatore had a population of 1,050,721 with a sex ratio of 997 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.[55] It is the second largest city in the state after capital Chennai[56] and the sixteenth largest urban agglomeration in India. A total of 102,069 were under the age of six, comprising 52,275 males and 49,794 females. The average literacy of the city was 82.43%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.[55] There were a total of 425,115 workers, comprising 1,539 cultivators, 2,908 main agricultural labourer, 11,789 in house hold industries, 385,802 other workers, 23,077 marginal workers, 531 marginal cultivators, 500 marginal agricultural labourer, 1,169 marginal workers in household industries and 20,877 other marginal workers.[57]

As per the 2001 census,[54] Coimbatore had a population of 930,882 within the municipal corporation limits.[7][8][12] The population of the urban agglomeration as per 2011 census is 2,136,916 with males constituting 50.08% of the population and females 49.92%.[6][56] Coimbatore has an average literacy rate of 89.23%, higher than the national average of 74.04%. Male literacy is 93.17% and female literacy is 85.3% with 8.9% of the population under six years of age. The sex ratio was 964 females per 1000 males.[58] In 2005, the crime rate in the city was 265.9 per 100,000 people, accounting for 1.2% of all crimes reported in major cities in India. It ranked 21st among 35 major cities in India in the incidence of crimes.[59] In 2011, the population density in the city was 10,052 per km² (26,035 per mi²).[11] Around 8% of the city's population lives in slums.[60]

Coimbatore is a municipal corporation administered by the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation and is the administrative headquarters of Coimbatore district. Coimbatore was established as the capital of Coimbatore district in 1804 and in 1866, it was accorded municipality status.[29][30] In 1981, Coimbatore was elevated as a municipal corporation.[37] The city is divided into five administrative zones – East, West, North, South and Central, each further subdivided into 20 wards.[63] Each ward is represented by a councillor who is elected by direct election and the Mayor of Coimbatore is elected by Councillors. The executive wing of the corporation is headed by a Corporation Commissioner and maintains basic services like water supply, sewage and roads.[64][65] The district itself is administered by the district collector and the district court in Coimbatore is the highest court of appeal in the district. The Coimbatore City Police is headed by a Commissioner of Police and there are 18 police stations in the city.[66]

Race Course Road, Coimbatore

A large part of the Coimbatore urban agglomeration falls outside the Municipal corporation limits.[67] These suburbs are governed by local bodies called Village Panchayats and Town Panchayats.[68] Besides the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation, the Coimbatore urban agglomeration comprises the Town Panchayats of Vellalur, Irugur, Pallapalayam, Kannampalayam, Veerapandi, Periyanaickenpalayam, Narasimhanaickenpalayam, Idikarai, Vedapatti, Perur, Madukkarai, Ettimadai, Thondamuthur, Uliyampalayam, Thirumalayampalayam, Othakalmandapam, Alanthurai, Pooluvapatti, Thenkarai, Karumathampatti, Sarcarsamakulam, Mopperipalayam and Gudalur, census towns of Ashokapuram, Kurudampalayam, Malumichampatti, Selvapuram, Chettipalayam, Sulur, Chinniampalayam, Somayampalayam, Muthugoundan Pudur, Arasur, Kaniyur, Neelambur and municipalities of Kuniyamuthur, Kurichi and Goundampalayam.[69] These local bodies are in turn split into wards each electing a councillor through direct election. The head of these local bodies are elected by the respective councillors from amongst them.[65][70]

Coimbatore has traditionally been a stronghold of the Dravidian party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) with national parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) also having a significant presence.[71][72][73] The city elects ten members to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and one member to the Indian Parliament. The six legislative assembly constituencies in the city are Coimbatore North, Coimbatore South, Kaundampalayam, Singanallur and Thondamuthur and Kinathukadavu which form a part of the Coimbatore Parliamentary Constituency. Part of the urban agglomeration comes under the Nilgiris and Pollachi constituencies. In the Indian general election held in 2019, CPI (M) candidate P.R. Natarajan defeated C. P. Radhakrishnan of the BJP in the Lok Sabha constituency.[74] In the last legislative assembly election held in 2021, the AIADMK led front won in all five assembly constituencies.[75][76]

Lakshmi Mills was one of the earliest textile mills in Coimbatore[77][78]

Coimbatore is one of the largest exporters of software.[79] Pictured is TIDEL Park, an IT SEZ.[80]

CODISSIA Trade Center, Coimbatore

A street scene in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

A major hub for manufacturing, education and healthcare in Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore is among the fastest growing tier-II cities in India.[81][82] It houses more than 25,000 small, medium and large industries with the primary industries being engineering and textiles. Bildon steel is produced from Annur, coimbatoor.Coimbatore is called the "Manchester of South India" due to its extensive textile industry, fed by the surrounding cotton fields.[83][84][85] TIDEL Park Coimbatore in ELCOT SEZ was the first special economic zone (SEZ) set up in 2006.[86] In 2010, Coimbatore ranked 15th in the list of most competitive (by business environment) Indian cities.[87] Coimbatore also has a 160,000 square feet (15,000 m²) trade fair ground, built in 1999 and is owned by CODISSIA.[88]

Coimbatore region experienced a textile boom in the 1920s and 1930s.[32] Though, Robert Stanes had established Coimbatore's first textile mills as early as the late 19th century, it was during this period that Coimbatore emerged as a prominent industrial centre. In 2009 Coimbatore was home to around 15% of the cotton spinning capacity in India.[89] Coimbatore has trade associations such as CODISSIA, COINDIA and COJEWEL representing the industries in the city. Coimbatore houses a number of textile mills and is the base of textile research institutes like the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International School of Textiles & Management, Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) and the South India Textile Research Institute (SITRA).[90] Kovai Cora Cotton saree is a recognised Geographical Indication.[91][92] The Southern India Mills' Association (SIMA), which was founded in 1933 is extremely active in the Coimbatore area and manages the majority of the South Indian textile sector. The southern states that makeup SIMA's membership protect the interests of textile mills and their employees.[93]

Coimbatore is the second largest producer of software in the state, next to capital Chennai. TIDEL Park Coimbatore and other Information technology parks in the city has aided in the growth of IT and Business process outsourcing industries in the city. It is ranked at 17th among the top global outsourcing cities by Tholons.[94] Software exports stood at ₹7.1 billion (US$89 million) for the financial year 2009–10 up 90% from the previous year.[95] Coimbatore has a large and diversified manufacturing sector and a number of engineering colleges producing about 50,000 engineers annually.[96] Since TIDEL Park Coimbatore is 100% occupied by clients, so state government announced ELCOT IT Park which is Constructed at 114 crore with 2.66 lakh Sq.Ft is set to open 2023. Due to huge demand from IT Companies for space at Coimbatore, another ELCOT IT Park Planned with 1 Million Sq.Ft of office space at Neelambur in 2023. TICEL Bio-Park III, a Bio-Technology Park is constructed in 10 acres of land at Somayampalayam with 2.29 lakh sq.ft of office space.

Coimbatore is a major centre for the manufacture of automotive components in India with car manufacturers Maruti Udyog and Tata Motors sourcing up to 30%, of their automotive components from the city. G.D. Naidu developed India's first indigenous motor in 1937.[97] India's first indigenously developed diesel engine for cars was manufactured in the city in 1972. The city is also a major centre for small auto component makers catering to the automobile industry, from personal to commercial and farm vehicles.[98] The city contributes to about 75% of the 1 lakh total monthly output of wet grinders in India.[99] The industry employs 70,000 people and had a yearly turnover of ₹2,800 crore (US$350 million) in 2015.[99] The term "Coimbatore Wet Grinder" has been given a Geographical indication.[100][101]

Coimbatore is also referred to as "the Pump City" as it supplies nearly 50% of India's requirements of motors and pumps.[102] Coimbatores largest pump manufacturer CRI pumps,[103] contributes a lot towards the "pump city" status of coimbatore. The city is one of the largest exporters of jewellery renowned for diamond cutting, cast and machine made jewellery.[104][105][106][107] There are about 3,000 jewellery manufacturers employing over 40,000 goldsmiths.[108][109][110]

Coimbatore has a large number of poultry farms and is a major producer of chicken eggs. The city contributes to nearly 95% of processed chicken meat exports.[111] Coimbatore has some of the country's oldest flour mills and these mills which cater to all the southern states, have a combined grinding capacity of more than 50,000 MT per month. The hospitality industry has seen a growth in the 21st century with new upscale hotels being set up.[112][113][114] Coimbatore is the largest non-metro city for e-commerce in South India.[115]

Coimbatore and its people have a reputation for entrepreneurship.[116][117] Though it is generally considered a traditional city, Coimbatore is diverse and cosmopolitan.[116][118][119] The World Classical Tamil Conference 2010 was held in Coimbatore.[120] The heavy industrialisation of the city has also resulted in the growth of trade unions.[121]

Religion

Koniamman Temple dedicated to Koniamman who is regarded to be the guardian deity of the Coimbatore city

Religion in Coimbatore (2011)[132]
Religion			Percent(%)
Hindu			83.3%
Muslim			8.6%
Christian			7.5%
Other or not stated			0.6%

The city's population is predominantly Hindu with minority Muslim and Christian population. Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists are also present in small numbers.[12][133][134] According to the religious census of 2011, Coimbatore has 83.31% Hindus, 8.63% Muslims, 7.53% Christians, 0.28% Jains, 0.05% Sikhs, 0.02% Buddhists and 0.01% Others. 0.17% of the respondents did not state their religion.[132]

The Mariamman festivals at the city's numerous Mariamman temples are major events in summer.[135] Major Hindu temples in the city include the Perur Patteeswarar Temple,[136] Naga Sai Mandir,[137][138] Koniamman Temple,[135] Thandu Mariamman Temple,[139] Eachanari Vinayagar Temple,[140][141] Puliakulam Temple,[142] Marudamalai Murugan Temple,[143][144] Loga Nayaga Shaniswara Temple,[145][146] Ashtamsa Varadha Anjaneyar Temple,[147] Masani Amman Temple.[148] The mosques on Oppanakara Street and Big Bazaar Street date back to the 18th century CE.[149] Christian missions date back to the 17th century when permission was granted by the Nayak rulers to set up churches in the region.[150] Sikh Gurudwaras and Jain temples are also present in Coimbatore.[151]

Coimbatore is a major educational hub.[212] The earliest educational institutions established in the city date back to more than a century with C.S.I. Boys High School (1831), St. Michael's Higher Secondary School (1860), Stanes Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School (1862) and St. Francis Anglo-Indian Girls School (1898) being the oldest. In 1867, the first group of students appeared for the SSLC Examinations from Coimbatore.

The first college of Coimbatore, Government Arts College, was opened in 1875.[213] The first engineering college in the city, the Arthur Hope College of Technology (now known as the Government College of Technology, Coimbatore), was started by G.D. Naidu in 1945 followed later by private engineering colleges PSG College of Technology, and Coimbatore Institute of Technology in the 1950s.[214] The Air Force Administrative College, established in 1949, is the oldest training institute of the Indian Air Force.[215] Coimbatore Medical College was opened in 1966 and also city has another Government run ESIC Medical College, Coimbatore. The Government law college started functioning from 1978.[214] The agricultural school established in 1868 was converted into a full-fledged agricultural university. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in 1971 and the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History was opened in 1990.[214]

As of 2010, the district is home to seven universities, 78 engineering colleges, 3 medical colleges, 2 dental colleges, 35 polytechnics and 150 arts and science colleges.[216][217] The city houses three government run universities Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Bharathiar University, Anna University Coimbatore and four private universities.[214][218] The city houses headquarters of renowned multi-campus, multi-disciplinary private deemed university, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.[219] The city houses Government research institutes including the Central Institute for Cotton Research, Sugarcane Breeding Research Institute, Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB), Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and Tamil Nadu Institute of Urban Studies.[220][221][222] In 2008, Government of India announced a plan to establish a world class university in the region.[223][224]

Three types of schools operate in Coimbatore: government run schools, schools funded by the government but run by private trusts (aided schools) and schools funded completely by private trusts.[214] Schools were following Tamil Nadu Anglo Indian School Board like Stanes and St Francis, Tamil Nadu State Board, Matriculation, CBSE or ICSE / ISC syllabus.[214] Samacheer Kalvi (Tamil: சமச்சீர் கல்வி) or Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education or Equitable education system was introduced by the Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education Act 2010 to integrate the various school educational systems within the state. Several schools in the city have moved on from Anglo Indian and Matriculation systems to CBSE and ICSE/ISC syllabus. The city falls under the purview of Coimbatore Education District. In 2013, 45,863 students appeared for SSLC examinations and the pass percentage was 94.12%.[225][226]

A typical raceday scene at Kari Motor Speedway

VOC Park

Coimbatore is often referred to as "India's Motorsports Hub" and the "Backyard of Indian Motorsports".[253][254] S.Karivardhan designed and built entry – level race cars and the Kari Motor Speedway, a Formula 3 Category circuit, is named after him.[255] Tyre manufacturer MRF assembles Formula Ford cars in Coimbatore in association with former F3 Champion J. Anand and racing company Super Speeds designs Formula cars.[256] Rallying is another major event with rallies conducted in closed roads around Coimbatore. Narain Karthikeyan, India's first Formula One driver hails from the city, and other motorsport drivers from Coimbatore include J. Anand and V. R. Naren Kumar.[257][258]

Nehru Stadium, built originally for football, also hosts athletic meets. The stadium has been renovated with Korean grass for the field and a synthetic track around it for athletics.[259] Apart from the stadium, other sporting venues include the Coimbatore Golf Course, an 18 – hole golf course[260] and Coimbatore Cosmopolitan Club, which is more than 100 years old.[261] Coimbatore Flying Club is located in the Coimbatore Airport premises.[262] The city hosts its own annual marathon called Coimbatore Marathon as an event to raise cancer awareness.[263] Retired tennis player Nirupama Vaidyanathan, who became the first Indian woman in the modern era to feature and win a round at a main draw Grand Slam in 1998 Australian Open hails from Coimbatore.[264] Coimbatore District Chess Association (CDCA), established in 1940, is the oldest chess association in the country.[265]

Air pollution, lack of proper waste management infrastructure and degradation of water bodies are the major environmental issues in Coimbatore. There is a sewage treatment plant at Ukkadam with the capacity to process 70 million litres of sewage water per day.[277][278] Garbage is collected by the corporation and sewage is pumped into the water tanks and the Noyyal River through streams.[279] This along with garbage dumping and encroachments has led to degradation of the water bodies and depletion in the groundwater table.[280][281][282] The tanks are renovated by the city's environmental groups with their own fund-raising and the corporation.[283][284] The corporation is responsible and involved in clearing encroachment of the tanks.[285][286] Siruthuli, an environmental organisation founded by the city's industrial houses, undertakes de-silting of tanks and cleaning of the Noyyal river.[287] Environment Conservation Group based out of the city is also involved in conservation of trees and wetlands, monitoring wildlife crime and conducting awareness sessions for students.[288][289][290][291][292][293][294][295][296][297][298][299][300]

• Kovai Gnani, Tamil writer[301]
• Vishnu Jejjala (born 1975), Indian-American physicist
• Narain Karthikeyan (born 1977), formula racing driver
• Mohammed Saleem, Environmental Activist
• K. G. Lakshminarayan (born 31 March 1953), former cricket umpire
• Tiruvadi Sambasiva Venkataraman (born June 1884), botanist
• Sivakumar (born 1941), Indian visual artist and former actor
• D. Sreeram Kumar (born 1981), Indian Army officer
• Suriya ( born 1975), Indian actor, producer, television presenter
• Sathyaraj (born 1954), Indian actor, producer, director and a media personality
• Sundaram Karivaradhan (1954–1995), racing driver
• N. Leelakrishnan, racing driver
• V. R. Naren Kumar (born 1974), rally driver
• Athulya Ravi (born 1994), actress
• Pavithra Lakshmi (born 1994), actress
• Aathmika (born 1993), actress
• Lokesh Kanagaraj (born 1986), director, screenwriter

Coimbatore has a sister city relationship with Toledo, Ohio. The relation has enabled exchange in the fields of arts and education between the cities.[302] A twin city pact with the German city of Esslingen was signed in July 2016, enabling the two cities to collaborate on areas of mutual interest, health, education, culture and social development.[303]

Country	City	State / Region	Since
United States	Toledo[304]	Ohio	2009
Germany	Esslingen[305]	Baden-Württemberg	2016

Alliance Française de Madras, a Franco-Indian non-profit association promoting the growth of French in India, has a centre at PSG Institute of Management in Coimbatore.[306]

• Coimbatore metropolitan area
• Coimbatore district
• List of neighbourhoods of Coimbatore
• Siruvani
• Adiyogi Shiva statue
• Velliangiri Mountains
• Maruthamalai Marudhachalamurthy Temple
• Aliyar Reservoir

Look up Coimbatore in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coimbatore.

• Coimbatore travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Coimbatore Municipal Corporation Website
• "Coimbatore" . New International Encyclopedia. 1905.