Doveton Clock Tower: Unraveling its History and Significance in Chennai

The Doveton Clock Tower in Chennai is the city's first clock tower, built in the Art Deco style around 1936. It was initially known as the Vepery Clock Tower, located on a triangular park donated by Rao Saheb MC Madurai Pillai, a wealthy businessman who funded schools and temples in South India. Pillai was a councilor in the Madras Corporation and donated the land in memory of his hotel, Sylvan, after his passing. The clock tower was later renamed Doveton Clock Tower in honor of Robert Doveton, a British engineer who served in Madras.