Beri Thimappa

Beri Thimappa / Thimmanna was the dubash (interpreter) and chief negotiator for Francis Day and Andrew Cogan, the agents of the British East India Company, and was instrumental in the purchase of Madras from the Nayak brothers. Thimmappa Chetti migrated in the early 17th century to Chennai from palakollu, near Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh.^[1] He established a Black Town outside the walls of the newly built Fort of Madras which later became Fort St George.^[2]

His families were chief merchants of East India Company for several decades. Tnimmappa's brother Beri Venkatadri owned Guindy Lodge, which is present Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan.He is one of the founder of Madras state. ^[3]

References

1. Muthiah, S (12 August 2002). "A centenary's links with Chennai". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
2. Chronology of Fort St George on Tamil Nadu Government website
3. The Madras Tercentenary commemoration volume, Volume 1939