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Named after C.N. Annadurai, a chief minister of the state of Tamil Nadu, Anna University was formed in 1978 by the merger of four existing Chennai technical institutions with some elements of the University of Madras. The official name of Chennai was Madras until 1996.

Divided into six universities in 2007 and reformed into one in 2011/12 it has had an affiliate role since 2001, making it responsible for engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu. In 2018 it had more than 500 affiliates, 13 constituent colleges and four satellite campuses across the state. It aims to be "a point of reference, a catalyst, a facilitator, a trend-setter and a leader in technical education".

Anna University was rated fourth among engineering institutions, 10th in the overall university category and 28th for business and management in the National Institutional Ratings Framework for 2018. The pioneering Centre for Biotechnology dates back to 1984 and it is rated by the Universities Grants Committee as a University with Potential for Excellence in Biomedical Engineering and Instrumentation.

In 2009 it launched ANUSAT, the first space satellite from an Indian university and a decade later had the achievement of keeping an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle aloft for more than six hours, which became a world record.

Bike-sharing schemes and rainwater harvesting from every building are planned for the 185 acre main campus bordering on the University of Madras. The latter is particularly urgent since research from the university's scientists shows that in spite of 140 cms of rainfall each year, Chennai has lost one third of its wetlands in the last decade.