Annamalai University is a uniform, teaching and residential university. It was founded by far-sighted generosity of heart and noble patron and protector of the dead letter Dear Dr. Rajiv Sir Annamalai Chettiar and Chettinad, KT, Director, D. Litt. He started several colleges and universities eventually in 1929. Since its foundation, gradually trying to understand the noble objectives of the founder of the Pro-Chancellor. Behind him, his famous son, who replaces Dr. Rajiv Sir Muthiah Chettiar and Chettinad is a Pro-Chancellor 1948-1984, and he carefully managing the growth and development of the University. This Pro-Chancellor Dr.M.A.M. Ramaswamy, philanthropist and patron of sports is a great son of Sir Muthiah Chettiar Dr.Rajah. University had the unique good fortune of inheriting visible Vice-Chancellors to guide its destiny. Last eighty years the University has grown rapidly and consolidated its position as one of the housing and forty-nine different university education and more than 2,500 faculty members. Annamalainagar is already full and lively university town east of Chidambaram, the monastery of the Lord Nataraja. Campus, including colleges, hostels and playgrounds has an area of about one thousand acres.
The Directorate of Distance Education established in 1979 offers four hundred and one different programmes of study under the Regular Stream. It is credited with the largest enrolment in India and is well equipped with computer and other infrastructure, adequate teaching faculty and administrative set-up of its own, study centres, computer training centres, etc., to serve its students’ clientele in their best interest at their door steps. It has also the unique distinction of offering first in India, Postgraduate Degree Programmes in Applied Psychology, Physics, Chemistry, Zoology, Botany, Bioinformatics and Law through Distance Education mode. The Directorate of Distance Education is also offering the Programmes on Fashion Design, Textile Design, Interior Design, Hotel Management and Catering Technology Programmes, Retail Management, Twinning Programme, Programmes on Health Science, Commonwealth Youth Programme, Yoga, Music, Fire and Safety, Pharmaceutical and Taxation Programmes.
