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Vepery: The Historic Suburban Root Behind The Creation of Madras
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News18•08-10-2026, 15:07
Vepery: The Historic Suburban Root Behind The Creation of Madras
- •Vepery in Chennai was once a quiet village that marked the early suburban expansion beyond Fort St. George.
- •While believed to be named after neem trees, historical British documents recorded the area as Ipere, Ypere, and Vipery.
- •The East India Company acquired Vepery from the Nawab of Arcot on November 4, 1742, transforming it into a European residential area.
- •In the 19th century, Vepery became home to a large Anglo-Indian community with around 3,000 members living in the area.
- •Printing presses captured from Puducherry made Vepery an intellectual hub for printing and educational activities.
Key Questions Answered
While popular belief suggests the name came from neem trees, old British documents recorded the area as Ipere, Ypere, Vipery, and Vapery, making the neem tree origin merely a verbal tradition.
Vepery became a major turning point in its history on November 4, 1742, when it was acquired by the East India Company from the Nawab of Arcot.
As European bungalows declined in the 19th century, the Anglo-Indian community settled in Vepery in large numbers, with studies indicating around 3,000 Anglo-Indians lived there during that time.
