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(ARCHIVE) Vol. XVIII No. 11, september 16-30, 2008

Historic Residences in Chennai - 2

(Sriram V.)


Annai Illam
17, Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan (South Boag) Road, T. Nagar


George T Boag, an ICS officer of the Government of India, was Census Commissioner in 1921, Member, Board of Revenue, Chief Secretary and finally Advisor, Government of Madras, in the 1930s and 1940s. Later, he also officiated as the Governor of the Orissa Province. He was honoured with a knighthood. This house, set in 1½ acres, was his residence and the road was consequently named after him.

The house was later acquired by Sir Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu (1875-1942), Member, Imperial Legislative Council (1920), Acting Governor of ­Madras Presidency (1936), Prime Minister of Madras (1937) and Vice-Chancellor, Annamalai University (1940). In the early 1950s, it was purchased by a Muslim family that was manufacturing snuff.

In 1946, V.C. Ganesan (1928-2001), a young and struggling actor, so enchanted ‘Periyar’ EV Ramaswami Naicker with his portrayal of Chatrapati Sivaji, the Maratha chieftain, in a stage play that Periyar gave him the title ‘Sivaji’. It was as Sivaji Ganesan that he became famous. In 1952, the film Parasakthi made Sivaji Ganesan a top-ranking film star.

Sivaji’s father acquired the property in 1959 and the family, by then comprising the actor, his family and that of his brother, moved in after renovations that took two years. It was renamed Annai Illam. Today, Sivaji’s sons continue living there. Though the residence has an Art Deco frontage, parts of it date back to the early 20th Century. The family considers the residence to be a memorial to Sivaji and maintains it beautifully. The road has been renamed after the actor. – (Courtesy: KALAMKRIYA.)

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