Modern Sadras was established as a Dutch colony in the sixteenth century, and became a center for weaving superfine Muslin cloth for export. The magnificient Sadras Fort , built for commercial purposes by the Dutch, is a vast compound enclosing a huge granary, stable and structures used to mount elephants (unfortunately only one of these structures survives). The Fortress was raided by the British in 1818 and came under the control of the British East India Company . It is now maintained by the Archaeological Survey Of India in efforts to contain further dilapidation of this great monument.
In recent times, Sadras has found mention due to its proximity to the atomic power plant (Madras Atomic Power Station) and the atomic research centre (Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research - IGCAR ) both located at nearby Kalpakkam. The village of Sadras is sandwiched between the power plant and its township.
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