Damarla Chennapa Nayaka

Damarla Chennapa Nayaka was a Nayaka ruler of Kalahasti and Vandavasi under the suzerainty of Vijayanagar emperor Venkatapati Raya ((r. 1585 – 1614)). He was also the Dalavoy or the Commander-in-Chief of the emperor.

The city of Chennai (originally called "Chennapatam") was founded by his sons, Venkatappa and Ayyappa, and named after Chennapa Nayaka. It was established in order to separate the warring Europeans within the region, the Dutch based at Pulicat and the Portuguese based at Mylapore. Later the British establishment at Madras (Fort St. George) was set up to the south of Chennapatam.

Family background
Chennapa Nayaka belonged to the Velama caste. *  He married Akkamamba, the daughter of Venkatagiri ruler Velugoti Kasturi Ranga and younger sister of Velugoti Yachama Nayaka. The line of Nayakas were chieftains during the Vijayanagar empire and attained full power after its decline, becoming independent Nayaks.

Service under Sriranga Deva Raya
Chennappa served under Sriranga Deva Raya assisting him against the Golkonda forces of Ibrahim Qutb Shah in several battles,notably in 1576 when Penukonda was captured by Ali Adil Shah and in 1579 when he captured the Golkonda Commander Murari Rao.

Death
In 1580, Ibrahim Qutb Shah invaded Kondavidu. Later he took the Udayagiri Fort and began to massacre the locals. However he was defeated after a brief fight with the Raya's army. Qutb Shah later took the fort of Vinukonda. Sriranga defeated the Sultan's forces with the assistance of his generals Muthuraja Chennappa(Damarla was his surname) and Kasturiranga. During this fight, Chennappa lost his life. He was succeeded by Kasturiranga. The East India Company established the St.George fort in the present day Chennai, for which the permission was granted by Damarla Venkatadri Nayaka, the local polygar of that area, under the condition that the area is to be named in the honour of his father from Chennapatnam, which was a nearby town named by Damarla Venkatadri Nayaka in honour of his father, Damarla Chennappa Nayakudu, the East India Company in brief named the area as Madras.