Puducherry

Puducherry, original name Putucceri, formerly (until 2006) Pondicherry, also spelled Pondichéry, union territory of India. It was formed in 1962 out of the four former colonies of French India: Pondicherry (now Puducherry) and Karaikal along India’s southeastern Coromandel Coast, surrounded by Tamil Nadu state; Yanam, farther north along the eastern coast in the delta region of the Godavari River, surrounded by Andhra Pradesh state; and Mahe, lying on the western Malabar Coast, surrounded by Kerala state. The territory’s capital is the city of Puducherry in the Puducherry sector, just north of Cuddalore.

The original name of the territory, Putucceri, is derived from the Tamil words putu (“new”) and ceri (“village”). The French corrupted this to Pondichéry (English: Pondicherry), by which it was called until its name was officially changed to Puducherry in 2006. Area 190 square miles (492 square km). Pop. (2011) 1,244,464.