Pudukkottai

Pudukkottai
Nicknames: 
Thondaiman Pudukkottai , Princely State
Pudukkottai
Location in Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates: 10°23′00″N 78°48′00″E / 10.383300°N 78.800100°E / 10.383300; 78.800100
CountryIndia
StateTamil Nadu
DistrictPudukkottai
CollectorM. Aruna, IAS
Superintendent of PoliceAbishek Gupta, IPS
Established1912
Founded byRaghunatha Raya Tondaiman
Named afterNew fort built by Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman
Government
 • TypeMunicipal Corporation
 • BodyPudukkottai Municipal Corporation
 • MayorS. Thilagavathi Senthil (2022-Present)
 • Deputy MayorM. Liyakath Ali (2022–Present)
 • Municipal CommissionerD. Narayanan (2024–Present)
Area
 • Total
121.26 km2 (46.82 sq mi)
Elevation
116 m (381 ft)
Population
 (2024)
 • Total
225,500
 • Density1,860/km2 (4,816/sq mi)
DemonymPudukkottaikaran
Languages
 • OfficialTamil
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
622001–622006
Telephone code04322
Vehicle registrationTN-55
Sex ratio995 per 1,000 males /
Websitepudukkottai.nic.in

Pudukkottai is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Pudukkottai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the oldest heritage cities located on the banks of the Vellar River. It has been ruled, at different times, by the Mutharaiyar dynasty, Cholas, Early Pandyas, and Thondaimans. It is situated about 372 kilometres (231 mi) southwest of the state capital Chennai, 50 kilometres (31 mi) southeast of Tiruchirappalli, and 108 kilometres (67 mi) northeast of Madurai.

Pudukkottai is sometimes called a cradle of archaeology. Being the district headquarters, Pudukkottai has district administrative offices, along with government educational institutes, colleges, and schools. Pudukkottai is a part of the Pudukkottai constituency and elects its member to the legislative assembly every five years. It is a part of the Lok Sabha constituency comprising Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Tiruchirappalli and Karur. Pudukkottai is administered by a selection-grade municipality established in 1912 as per the Municipal Corporation Act. Pudukkottai covers an area of 21.25 km2 (8.20 sq mi) and had a population of 117,745 in 2011. Roadways are the major mode of transport to the city, along with rail connectivity. The nearest airport is Tiruchirappalli International Airport, located at a distance of 45 km (28 miles) from the city.

It is one of the few towns and cities in the List of AMRUT Smart cities in Tamil Nadu selected by the central government. Its developmental activities are taken care of by government of Tamil Nadu. On 15 March 2024, the Government of Tamil Nadu announced that the town along with the surrounding merged panchayats will be upgraded from municipality to corporation status (Tamil: மாநகராட்சி).