The Emblem of Tamil Nadu is the official state emblem of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and is used as the official state symbol of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Design

The state emblem was designed in 1949 by artist R. Krishna Rao who was a native of Madurai. Krishna Rao was honoured with awards and titles for his contribution to the state. A student of the Government College of Fine Arts and Crafts in Chennai, who went on to become the principal of the college later, Rao was approached to design the emblem in 1948 when he was a professor of applied arts in the college. It consists of the Lion Capital of Ashoka without the bell lotus foundation and flanked on either side by an Indian flag. Behind the capital, is the image of a Gopuram or Hindu temple tower based on the Srivilliputhur Andal temple. Around the rim of the seal runs an inscription in Tamil script, one at the top தமிழ் நாடு அரசு ("Tamil Nadu Arasu" which translates to "Government of Tamil Nadu") and the other at the bottom வாய்மையே வெல்லும் ("Vaymaiye Vellum" which translates to "Truth Alone Triumphs" also commonly known as "Satyameva Jayate" in Sanskrit). It is the only state emblem that has the Indian Flag and Hindu temple tower on its seal.

Historical emblems

Government banner

The Government of Tamil Nadu can be represented by an image of the emblem of the state placed onto a white background. A flag was proposed in 1970 but was not formally adopted.