Udangudi

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Udangudi is a panchayat town in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, India. It covers about 11.23 square kilometers and had a population of 19,738 in 2011. The town has a high literacy rate of 93.18% (males 95.08%, females 91.30%), with men and women almost equally represented.

In the past, Udangudi was linked by a British-era railway to Tiruchendur. The line supported palm juice collection and a nearby jaggery factory near Kulasekaran Pattinam, which eventually stopped operating. The town is known for peaceful coexistence among Hindus, Muslims and Christians.

The area has several schools, including T.D.T.A. Higher Secondary School for boys, Mary Ann Best Higher Secondary School for girls, Sri Ramakrishna Chidhambareshwarer Higher Secondary School, St. Antony's RC Middle School, Saiva Prakasa Vidyasalai, Anitha Kumaran Matric Higher Secondary, Najath School, Salma School, and others.

Historically, Udangudi had many palm groves. People produced palm juice and palm jaggery, which were sold across South India and beyond.

Today, a major power project is being built: Udangudi Stage I, a 2x660 MW coal-fired plant. The project was awarded to BHEL on an engineering, procurement and construction basis for about Rs 7,359 crore, with the award issued in December 2017. The plant began test runs in 2025.