Salem, Tamil Nadu

The region was part of the Chera Empire during Sangam period between c. 1st and the 4th centuries CE.^[8] The city might have had trade connections with the Roman Empire in the 1st century CE, evident from the Roman coins bearing the seal of Emperor Tiberius (37–68 CE) found in the region. In the 2nd century CE, the region came under the rule of the Pandyas. In the 4th century CE, the Pallavas rose to power in the region, and it was the center of conflict between the Pallavas and the Pandyas over thee 8th and 9th centuries CE. In the 10th century, the region was captured by the Cholas. After the decline of the Chola Empire in the 12th century CE, the region was under the rule of the Hoysalas and the Later Pandyas in the 12th–13th centuries CE.^[9]

The region came under the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th century CE. It was later governed by Poligars, military chieftains under the Vijayanagara and the later Nayak rule.^[10] 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 the region to the Madras Presidency. The Salem district was established in 4 April 1792 and consisted of the present-day districts of Salem,Namakkal, Dharmapuri, and Krishnagiri.^[11] The region played a prominent role in the Second Poligar War (1801), when it was the area of operations of Dheeran Chinnamalai.^[12] After Indian independence in 1947, it became part of the Madras Province, which later became Tamil Nadu.^[9]

Salem is located in Western Tamil Nadu, between the Kalrayan and Pachaimalai Hills of the Eastern Ghats.^[13][14] The Thirumanimutharu River flows through the city.^[15] The river originates in the Shevaroy Hills, and joins the Kaveri later.^[16]: 5 The terrain is rocky and undulating with isolated hillocks. Red soil is predominant though black soil is found in isolated pockets.^[16]: 8

The city covers an area of 91.34 km² (35.27 sq mi).^[21] As per the 2011 census, the city had a population of 829,267 inhabitants. There were 987 females for every 1,000 males. Of these, 79,067 were under the age of six: 40,570 males and 38,497 females. The city's literacy rate was 76.37 percent.^[22][23] Salem had 215,747 households and 332,147 were employed. This included 1,599 farmers, 3,040 agricultural laborers, 32,597 in household industries, 278,892 other workers, 16,019 part-time workers, 165 part-time farmers, 544 part-time agricultural workers, 1,937 part-time workers in household industries, and 13,373 other part-time workers.^[3] Tamil was the most spoken language with 73.8% of the population citing it as their native language. Other significant languages included Telugu (10.8%), Kannada (5.83%), and Urdu (5%).^[24]

Salem is the headquarters of Salem district. The town was constituted as a municipality in 1867, and was upgraded to a special-grade municipality in 1979 and to a municipal corporation on 1 April 1994.^[21] The city is organised into 72 wards, each represented by an elected councillor.^[31] The Salem Municipal Corporation is headed by a mayor, who is elected by the councillors.^[32][33] The administration is governed by a municipal commissioner, and it is divided into six departments: general administration and personnel, engineering, revenue, public health, city planning and information technology.^[34]

Prior to 2008, the city was part of the Salem I and Salem II assembly constituencies.^[35][36] Since 2008, the city accommodates three constituencies– Salem North, Salem South and Salem West,^[37] that elect members to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.^[38] The city is part of the Salem constituency that elects its member to the Lok Sabha.^[39]

Law and order is maintained by the Salem city subdivision of the Tamil Nadu Police, headed by a Police commissioner. Special units include prohibition enforcement, district crime, social justice and human rights, district crime records and a district-level special branch headed by a superintendent of police.^[40] The Salem Central Prison which is located at Hastampatti, and serves as the central prison for Salem district. Constructed in 1862, it is one of the oldest prisons in India and has a capacity of 1431 inmates.^[41]

As of 2020^[update], Salem had a GDP of US$10.354 (equivalent to $12.88 in 2025) billion.^[7] The town is a major textile centre, with more than 75,000 handlooms and spinning mills in the region.^[42] The region is popular for its silk textiles.^[43] Salem Fabric and Salem silk are recognised as Geographical indications in India.^[44][45][46] Cassava cultivation in prominent in the region,^[43][47] and there are more than 650 industrial units which are engaged in the extraction of sago from the cassava plants. In 1981, the Salem Starch and Sago Manufacturers Service Industrial Co-operative Society was established to promote the industry and nearly 80 percent of the national demand for sago and starch is met by the region.^[48] Salem is popular for its mangoes, with several cultivars grown in the region.^[43][49]

The city is a major centre of steel industry. The Salem Steel Plant, a unit of the Steel Authority of India (SAIL), was established in 1981, and produces stainless steel and stainless-carbon steel alloys. The plant was expanded and modernized in the late 2000s, with steel-melting and continuous-casting facilities.^[50][51] The SAIL has established a 250 acres (100 ha) special economic zone within its Salem plant.^[52] The Southern Iron and Steel Company has an integrated steel plant in Salem for the production of TMT bars and alloy steels.^[53][54] The region is rich in mineral ores, with significant magnesite and bauxite deposits, with several public and private companies operating in the mining and processing sector.^[55] The Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu has established a 160 acres (65 ha) Information Technology park,^[56][57] and an electrical and electronics industrial estate is in the Suramangalam area of the city.^[58]

Schools consist of government run, government aided, and private schools.^[88]

Salem has several institutions of higher education.

• Thiagarajar Polytechnic College was founded 1958.^[89]
• Indian Institute of Handloom Technology was established by the Ministry of Textiles in 1960.^[90][91]
• Government College of Engineering was established in 1966.^[92]
• Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College was established in 1986.^[93]
• Government Law College opened in August 2019.^[94][95]

There are two universities in the city. The Vinayaka Mission established its first college in 1987, and was later declared as deemed to be university.^[96] The Periyar University was established in 1997.^[97][98]

There are several shopping malls and bazaars in the city.^[99] The Kurumbapatti Zoological Park and Anna Park are government-run parks.^[100] There are a few amusement parks in the city.^[101] The Mookaneri Lake is a popular tourist place and bird watching destination.^{[102][103][104]} Yercaud, a major hill station, is about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Salem.^[105]

Mahatma Gandhi Stadium is a multi-purpose sports venue in the city.^[106] Cricket clubs in the city are managed by the Salem District Cricket Association.^[107] There are two cricket grounds in the city.^[107][108] The Salem Cricket Foundation Stadium was built at a cost of ₹30 million (US$350,000) in Karivepilapatti and inaugurated on 10 February 2020.^[109][110] Salem Spartans, a Tamil Nadu Premier League team, is based out of the city.^{[111][112][113]} Prominent athletes from the city include T. Natarajan, who plays for the Indian national cricket team.^[114][115]

Salem has had a sister city relationship with Salem, Oregon in the United States. The agreement was signed in 1964.^[116]

• Taj Noor — music director
• A. R. Rao — mathematician
• M. R. Srinivasaprasad — cricketer and coporate executive
• Arthanareesa Varma (1874–1964) — poet and independence activist
• Tiruvadi Sambasiva Venkataraman — botanist

• Largest Indian Cities by GDP