Chennai, a land of opportunity and exposure, says Health Minister K.G. Arunraj

Chennai has always been a land of opportunity. To me, it is everything. What I am today is because of this city. The exposure it gave me shaped my life and career

I completed my schooling in Salem and moved to Chennai in 1997 to pursue MBBS at Madras Medical College (MMC). I still vividly remember the bus journey from Salem to Chennai.

Studying at MMC sparked my interest in administration.

During my final year as a house surgeon, I visited the Secretariat nearly 30 times to meet friends. Those visits strengthened my resolve to pursue a career in administration.

Then, most buses terminated at Parry’s Corner, where the MMC hostel was located.

It was a bustling hub for people arriving from across Tamil Nadu.

Evenings at Marina Beach with friends, followed by second-show movies at Devi Theatre on Mount Road and late-night dinners, will remain etched in my memory forever.

(As told to N. Sai Charan)