The Annamalai University is a unitary, teaching and residential university. It was founded by the munificence of the farsighted and noble hearted philanthropist and patron of letters the late Hon'ble Dr. Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar of Chettinad, Kt, LL.D., D.Litt. He started several colleges and ultimately the University in 1929. Since its inception, it has progressively tried to realize the aims of the noble Founder Pro-Chancellor. After him, his illustrious son Padma Bhushan Dr. Rajah Sir Muthiah Chettiar of Chettinad, was the Pro-Chancellor from 1948 to 1984 and he sedulously nurtured the growth and development of the University. The present Pro-Chancellor Dr.M.A.M. Ramaswamy, a philanthropist and a patron of sports, is the distinguished son of Dr.Rajah Sir Muthiah Chettiar. The University has had the unique good fortune of having a succession of eminent Vice-Chancellors to guide its destinies. During the last eighty years the University has grown rapidly and consolidated its position as a unitary and residential University with Forty nine Departments of Study and over 2500 members on its teaching staff. Annamalainagar is already a busy and full-fledged University town east of Chidambaram, the abode of Lord Nataraja. The University campus, including the colleges, hostels and playgrounds occupies an area of about thousand acres
The Annamalai University owes its existence to the farsighted vision, enlightened wisdom, benefaction and philanthropy of a single individual – Dr. Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar of Chettinad. As early as 1920, he founded the Sri Meenakshi College at Chidambaram, a great pilgrimage centre and also a centre for South Indian traditional culture and learning. In 1928, the Annamalai University Act was passed and Sri Meenakshi College became the nucleus for the University which is unitary, residential, rural in its settings and progressive in its outlook. During his tenure as Pro-Chancellor for 19 years he paid immaculate care and detailed attention to the growth and development of the University in every field. He paid great attention in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors. Equal attention was also paid by him in the appointment of enlightened staff, especially the Professors and Heads of Departments. The Professors of Annamalai University were always scholars and scientists of great renown in their own field.