History

History of Ranipet

Ranipet was established around the year 1771 by Sadut-ulla-khan, the Nawab of the Carnatic, in honour of the young widow of Desingh Raja of Gingee, who is traditionally said to have committed Sati following her husband’s death. Out of respect for Desingh Raja’s valour and his wife’s devotion, the Nawab established a new settlement opposite Arcot, on the northern bank of the River Palar, and named it Ranipet.

The town gained prominence following the establishment of a European cantonment. About a mile west of Ranipet lies a remarkable grove extending along the River Palar for a distance of approximately 4.8 km, known as Navlakh Bagh. It is traditionally believed to have contained nine lakh trees, hence the name “Navlakh Bagh”.

Ranipet also has historical significance in the development of railways in South India. The early railway service connected Royapuram with Ranipet, forming an important part of the region’s early railway network.

On 15 August 2019, the Government of Tamil Nadu announced the creation of Ranipet as a new district, with Ranipet as its headquarters, following the trifurcation of Vellore district. The Government subsequently issued the formal order for the creation of Ranipet district on 12 November 2019, and the district was officially inaugurated and began functioning on 28 November 2019. Ranipet thus became one of the new districts that increased the total number of districts in Tamil Nadu to 36.