N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar, the first president of the Madras City Cooperative Building Society Ltd., played a pivotal role in the establishment of Gopalapuram. The cooperative’s mission was to alleviate rural distress and address the housing needs of the middle class in urban areas. Recognizing the challenges faced by government servants in accessing housing facilities, the cooperative purchased a large plot of land in Lloyd’s Road, Royapettah, and embarked on the development of Gopalapuram. The colony was designed in consultation with the Director of Town Planning, with 29 grounds reserved for public purposes and the remaining divided into plots for construction. The cooperative itself undertook the construction of 14 plots, while the remaining were built by members. The newly developed colony was named Gopalapuram in honor of N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar’s contributions, and it has since grown into a thriving locality. In 2024, Gopalapuram celebrated its 100th anniversary, a testament to the success of the cooperative movement and the vision of its founders.
Gopalapuram: A Cooperative Success Story in Chennai
