Madurai Kamaraj University also abbreviated MKU is a public university in India. Madurai Kamaraj University, located in Madurai city (in southern Tamil Nadu, India) established in 1966, has 18 schools comprising 72 departments. The Directorate of Distance Education of the University has a student strength of about 1.3 lakhs. The university has 109 affiliated colleges (nine autonomous) including other approved institutions and seven evening colleges. Madurai Kamaraj University is named as a memorial to Kamarajar, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister who works for improving the literacy rate in the state. The Madurai part of its name comes from the historical city of Madurai, the ancient capital of the Pandyan rulers and the seat of three Tamil academies going back to the beginnings of the Christian and even perhaps an earlier era. It was inaugurated on 6 February 1966 in the heart of the city. Its nucleus was the extension centre of the University of Madras located at Madurai. Two years later, the foundation stone for a new campus was laid by Dr Zakir Hussain, the President of India on the Madurai to Theni road, 13 kilometers to the west of the city.