Chennai, March 15, 2026
The Union government has approved renaming Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin Airport to “Thoothukudi Airport”, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu announced on Sunday.
The decision comes after longstanding demands from local residents, public representatives, and cultural organisations seeking to restore the original Tamil name of the historic port city in official aviation records.
The airport, located at Vagaikulam in Thoothukudi district of southern Tamil Nadu, was inaugurated in 1992 and has since been widely referred to as Tuticorin Airport.
The name “Tuticorin,” which originated during the British colonial period, gradually became the commonly used English spelling for the city in official documents and international references.
However, over the years, several groups and civic bodies had argued that the English name of the airport should reflect the correct Tamil pronunciation and spelling of the city — Thoothukudi — which is the officially recognised name in Tamil Nadu.
They pointed out that the colonial-era spelling did not represent the linguistic and cultural identity of the region.
Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs L. Murugan, along with other elected representatives from Tamil Nadu, had earlier submitted formal representations to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation requesting the change. The proposal received support from local leaders, trade organisations, and residents who said the renaming would help reinforce the region’s cultural heritage.
Following the Centre’s approval, the airport will now be officially identified as Thoothukudi Airport in all national and international aviation records, including documents maintained by aviation authorities and airline operators.
Residents and stakeholders in the district have welcomed the move, describing it as an important step towards restoring the city’s historical and linguistic identity.
Many noted that similar corrections to place names have been made across India in recent decades to replace colonial spellings with indigenous names.
Thoothukudi is one of the major industrial and port cities in southern Tamil Nadu. Known for its thriving port, salt production, thermal power facilities, and emerging industrial infrastructure, the city plays a crucial role in the economic development of the region.
With strong connectivity through air, sea, rail, and road networks, the district continues to witness rapid growth in trade, industry, and logistics. Officials say the renaming of the airport will further strengthen the city’s identity as a key gateway to southern Tamil Nadu while aligning its international recognition with its original Tamil name. (Agency)
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