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Archaeological Survey of India, Chennai Circle, formerly called Southern Circle covering whole area of the then Madras Presidency was established in the year 1881. Sir Alexander Rea became the first Superintendent in 1902. Subsequently, great scholars like A.H. Longhurst, Pundit Hirananda Shastri, H.Hayatkhan, T.N.Ramachandran, V.D.Krishnaswamy, Krishna Deva, K.R. Srinivasan, K.V.Soundararajan and others headed the Southern Circle. The geographical jurisdiction of Chennai Circle is: Tamil Nadu State (except the Districts of Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari and the Nilgiris), Andhra Pradesh (Chittur District) and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Total number of Centrally Protected Monuments under the jurisdiction of Chennai Circle: 251. Total Number of Centrally Protected Sites under the jurisdiction of Chennai Circle: 160.
The Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Sri Brihadeswara Temple at Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram, Sri Airavateswara Temple at Darasuram have been declared as World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO.
The activities of this circle include: exploration, excavation, conservation and preservation of monuments, documentation of loose sculptures and excavated antiquities, organizing cultural awareness programme on different themes on the occasion of important days every year. Pursuant to the issue of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010, the Archaeological Survey of India, Chennai Circle monitors construction activities in the prohibited and regulated areas of national monuments and sites under its jurisdiction.
Conservation/preservation of monuments/sites are carried out departmentally through the Senior Conservation Assistants/ Conservation Assistants of the ten sub-circles. The ten sub-circle offices are at Chennai, Gingee, Kanchipuram, Mamallapuram, Puducherry, Salem, Thanjavur, Tirumayam, Trichy and Vellore.
| Chennai Circle office is located at Fort St.George, Chennai – 600 009. | |
| Head of Office: | M Kalimuthu |
| Officers: | |
| Deputy Superintending Archaeological Engineer | Shri Shaik Jilani Basha |
| Assistant Superintending Archaeological Engineer | Shri Atluri Sathyam |
| Assistant Superintending Archaeological Engineer | Shri PVNCM Easwar |
| Assistant Superintending Archaeologist | Shri P. Aravazhi |
| Administrative Officer | Shri R. Raghu |
| Administrative Officer | Smt. A. Latha |
| Sub-Circles: | |
| Chennai | Shri Ram Krishnan.P Junior Conservation Assistant |
| Gingee | Shri Vuragayala Naveendra Reddy.V Junior Conservation Assistan |
| Kanchipuram | Smt. Akalya.k Junior Conservation Assistant |
| Mamallapuram | Shri Syed Ismail Senior Conservation Assistant |
| Puducherry | Shri Syed Ismail Senior Conservation Assistant |
| Salem | Shri. Saju V.D Conservation Assistant |
| Vellore | Shri Korada Rama Rao Conservation Assistant |
| Garden-Branch: | |
| Chennai | Shri Selvam.X Horticulture Assistant |
| Gingee | Shri Prasath.k Horticulture Assistant |
| Kanchipuram | Shri Prasath.k Horticulture Assistant |
| Mamallapuram | Shri Selvam.X Horticulture Assistant |
| Puducherry | Shri Selvam.X Horticulture Assistant |
| Salem | Shri Prasath.k Horticulture Assistant |
| Vellore | Shri Prasath.k Horticulture Assistant |
