Acclaimed as the second largest city of the state of Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore is rightly complimented as ‘Manchester’ or ‘Detroit’ of South India. Honored country wide for manufacturing motor pump sets, Coimbatore is a popular commercial pivot and a mainstream industrial axis. Coimbatore, also known as ‘Kovai’ in Tamil, is recognized far and wide for its multitudinous industries like textile mills, engineering enterprises, IT companies, software market, educational institutions, cotton industries, agriculture, health care, etc.

Known in every quarter for its ambitious entrepreneurship and earnest striving for progress, this city houses more than 25 thousand small, medium and large scale industries. Reports of the surveys done by Economic Times, Frost and Sullivan, CII etc conclude that Coimbatore ranks first in the index of consumer confidence and is the most facilitated investment terminus.

One more feather in the hat of Coimbatore is the famous ‘Siruvani Water’. Approved as the 2nd tastiest water in the world, Siruvani Water, which ranks after Nile, adds to the honor of this cosmopolitan. This industrial Laureate, stationed on the banks of the river Noyyal, is the administrative headquarter of the Coimbatore district.

Much speculated and controversial account of Coimbatore history is dated back to 2nd century AD. The supposedly first literary attestation of the name of Coimbatore - ‘Kongu Nadu’ is discovered in the Tamil Epic ‘Silappathikaram’. Later, 10th century witnessed the rule of Chola Kings over Kongu Nadu. In 12th century, this domain was under the administration of ‘Irulas’. Kovan, an Irula chief christened the city as Coimbatore after his own name.

The excavation which was carried out by archeologists around Coimbatore, has laid fingers on plentiful Roman coins. This evidence proves that Coimbatore maintained business relations with Roman merchants in olden days. In 15th century, Coimbatore and all other regions of Tamil Nadu were part of Vijayanagara dominion. With the fall of Vijayanagara Empire in 17th century, Coimbatore region was merged with Mysore Kingdom.

When Tipu Sultan was defeated, British East India Company took over Coimbatore and in the year 1799, Coimbatore was made part of Madras Presidency. Coimbatore played a great role in the 2nd Poligar War of 1801, against the British East India Company.

Coimbatore and the villages and towns nearby were assembled as a district in 1865 and Coimbatore was made the headquarters. In 19th and 20th century, Coimbatore had to face a hard time. Natural calamities like famine, earthquake and plague were avenging Coimbatore for no fault of its own. Coimbatore also participated in the struggle of Independence and at the same time, it was also marching ahead with industrialization and commercialization.

The first textile mill of Coimbatore was installed in the year 1888, and today, Coimbatore has achieved such heights that it is right to call this city ‘the Manchester of South India’.