The Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, popularly known as the acronym 'TANUVAS', blossomed on 20.09.1989 as the first Veterinary University of the country, through the Tamil Nadu State Government Act 42 of 1989. The seed for the establishment and growth of TANUVAS was sown as early as 1876, when the Madras Veterinary College was started as an Agricultural School in Chennai to offer diploma and certificate course in the field of veterinary and animal sciences. The institute attained the status of a college on 01.10.1903, when it started functioning at Dobbin Hall, Chennai and admitted 20 students for a three-year diploma course called GMVC (Graduate of Madras Veterinary College).