Chennai (/ˈtʃɛnaɪ/, Tamil: [ˈt͡ɕenːaɪ̯]), formerly known as Madras (the official name until 1996), is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The state's largest city in area and population as well, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, and is the most prominent cultural, economic and educational centre of South India.