To promote and protect the Commerce, Industries and Trades in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu;
To watch over and safeguard general commercial interests of the Tamils, engaged in Commerce, Industries and Trades in India and Abroad.
To concert measures for advancing commercial and technical education and such study of different Art and Science as may tend to develop Commerce, Industries and Trade in Tamil Nadu.
Though the Chamber is based in Chennai, it has been working on broad national principles for the benefit of the whole mercantile community of the country without confining to any particular section, area or State.
It is the strong view of the Chamber that in the context of national effort for a planned programme of development, the importance of sustained efforts to preserve an atmosphere of cordiality and mutual esteem cannot be over-emphasized, and as spokesman/mouth piece of the Organised Commerce and Industry it is the Chamber’s duty to fearlessly present the points of view in respect of official policies and programmes.
Ever since its inception the Chamber has been consistently pleading that for the ordered economic development of the country and to keep the Government well informed of the commercial and industrial problems, separate representations for the mercantile community both at the Central and at State Legislatures is essential as the trading community alone can keep the Government correctly informed of the difficulties confronting it. Whenever occasion or opportunity arose the Chamber has not failed to stress upon this point.
The Chamber has also been pleading that for the Economic Development, first and foremost, the government should cut down its own expenditure and has been persistently impressing upon them to economise its administration.
The Chamber has also been pleading with the Government, that while periodical increase in wages depending upon the increase in prices is necessary, it should also be commensurate with other factors like the capacity of the employers to pay the wages, that the proper procedure to be adopted, to do justice both to Employers and Employees, would be to evolve a pattern of wages with a minimum and maximum, on the basis of income of Employers/Establishments, to enable the employers to adhere to it.
One of the notable achievements of the Chamber which may be mentioned with pride is the part played by it in the retention of the City of Madras in Tamil Nadu, when the composite Madras State was divided into Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Our membership fraternity covers the whole of Tamil Nadu and also outside with a representative character comprising various industries and trades.
To encourage craftsmanship and commerce education; the Chamber has instituted Annual Awards for the Best Weaver and Designer of the year and also for the Best Students in Commerce studies.
The Chamber is organizing Conferences and Seminars periodically and also invites prominent persons in the Commercial and Industrial field as well as officials from the Government to address our members.
The Chamber is publishing a Periodical “The Tamil Chamber of Commerce Journal” for the use of members to keep them informed of the latest information in Commerce, Industry and Trade.
With the contribution made by the members and the munificent grant by Dr.Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti, the Chamber has acquired a flat of its own in the George Town.
The cumulative effect of the cooperation, guidance and wise cousel as well as the experience, and expertise of all the members is solely responsible for what has been achieved. The Chamber salutes them all. Let us have a peep into the past.