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CM Vijay Hoists Tricolour at Fort St George: Tamil Nadu Marks 80th Independence Day with Emotion and Pride

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay hoists the national flag at the historic Fort St George for the first time as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister, delivering his maiden Independence Day address pledging honest governance and freedom from corruption for all Tamil Nadu citizens.

15 August 2026VizhiTN Editorial Team3 min read

Why this matters to Tamil Nadu

Independence Day at Fort St George is Tamil Nadu's most significant civic event of the year. The Chief Minister's address sets the tone for governance priorities and delivers direct announcements to the state's 80 million citizens. For residents of all 38 districts, the ceremony represents the state government's public accountability moment — where the elected head of government speaks directly to the people who elected him about what his administration stands for and has committed to deliver.

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Key Highlights

Essential facts and key takeaways

8 points
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CM Vijay hoisted the national flag at Fort St George at 8:45 AM on August 15, 2026.
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This was Vijay's first Independence Day flag-hoisting as Chief Minister.
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Fort St George is 386 years old — one of India's oldest colonial administrative buildings.
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The tradition of TN CMs hoisting the flag at Fort St George began in 1974 under M. Karunanidhi.
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Vijay pledged corruption-free governance and equal freedom for all citizens regardless of caste or religion.
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Assistance for differently-abled ex-servicemen increased from ₹5,000 to ₹7,000.
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Awards presented: Thagaisal Thamizhar Award (₹10 lakh), APJ Abdul Kalam Award, Kalpana Chawla Award.
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Actor Trisha and CM's father SA Chandrasekhar were present at the ceremony.

Timeline

Chronological developments

4 events
1
1974: CM M. Karunanidhi secures the right for TN Chief Ministers to hoist national flag at Fort St George on Independence Day.
1974: CM M. Karunanidhi secures the right for TN Chief Ministers to hoist national flag at Fort St George on Independence Day.
2
May 10, 2026: C. Joseph Vijay sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
May 10, 2026: C. Joseph Vijay sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
3
August 15, 2026 – 8:45 AM: CM Vijay hoists national flag at Fort St George; delivers maiden Independence Day address.
August 15, 2026 – 8:45 AM: CM Vijay hoists national flag at Fort St George; delivers maiden Independence Day address.
4
August 15, 2026: Flag hoisting ceremonies held at all 38 Tamil Nadu district headquarters.
August 15, 2026: Flag hoisting ceremonies held at all 38 Tamil Nadu district headquarters.

Official Sources

Verified links & documentation

Government of Tamil NaduFort St George

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