François Martin (Pondicherry)


François Martin was the first Governor General of Pondicherry. In 1673, Sher Khan Lodi, the governor of Valokondapuranam under the sultan of Bijapur granted Francois martin, director of the Masulipatnam, a site for a settlement. He founded Pondicherry, the future capital of French India in 1674.
He is known as the Father of Puducherry.
He was Commissioner of French East India Company before holding this post and was preceded by François Baron and succeeded by Pierre Dulivier. There is a street named after François Martin in Pondicherry.

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