Under the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, Madras State lost its western coastal districts. South Kanara District was ceded to Mysore state, and Malabar District became the northern half of the new Malayalam-speaking state of Kerala. The predominantly Tamil-speaking Kanyakumari District, formerly part of the state of Travancore-Cochin, was transferred to Madras.

A less recognised aspect of the Kamaraj rule is that he acted decisively in sorting out the issues concerning the transfer of border areas such as Tirutani-Tirupathi and Kanyakumari. The struggle for Kanyakumari agitation was headed by Marshall Nesamani Nadar and Ponnappa Nadar. The struggle for liberation of Thiruthani belt was lead by M. P.Sivagnana Graminiar.

After 53 in 2009 years of the tamilnadu formation day, the services rendered by leaders including C. Rajagopalachari, Kamarajar, M.P. Sivagnanam Graminiar and Marshall Nesamony Nadar for safeguarding the interests of Tamil Nadu are remembered on November 1 every year.

During the regime of C.N Annadurai the Madars Presidency was renamed Tamil Nadu in 1968 . In 1968, Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu, partly to resist the imposition of Hindi as a national language by the Central Government.

However the impulse to rename was accelerated by Congress Thiyagi Kandan Sangaralinga Nadar who undertook fast for about 40 day at Virudhunagar - lost life in fasting to rename Madras Presidency as Tamil Nadu.