The Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University was formed in the year 2005 by an Act of the Tamil Nadu Government. The university is first of its kind in India meant wholly for sports and physical education.

With the permission from the president of India vide a government order dated 5th of August 2005, the university begun its operations from the 15th of September 2005. The university is offering sports and physical education courses through its faculties namely management, health & allied sciences, youth & sports affairs and teacher education.

More than ten departments are functioning under the university and in addition to offering courses through affiliated colleges; the university has recently introduced distance education programme and collaborative programme as well. The list of colleges affiliated to the university is as follows:

Colleges offering under graduation courses:

• Rabindranath Tagore College of Physical Education for Women, Veerachipalayam, Sankarai T.K, Salem

• Vivekananda College of Physical Education, Unjanai, Tiruchengodu, Namakkal

• Gnanamani College of Physical Education, A.K. Samudram, Namakkal

• Selvam College of Physical Education Pappanaickenpatti, Namakkal

• Ramakrishnan Chandra College of Physical Education for Women, Gulappa Gowendenpatty, Cumbum

• Meenatchi Physical Education College, Thathanur, Udayarpalayam T.K., Perambular District

• Koviloor Andavar College of Physical Education and Sports Science, Koviloor Madalayam, Koviloor, Sivagangi District

• Christian College of Physical Education, K.P.Road, Nagercoil

• St. John’s College of Physical Education, veeravanallur, Tirunelveli District

Colleges offering under graduation & post graduation courses:

• Y.M.C.A. College of Physical Education, Chennai – 600 035

• Maruthi College of Physical Education, Coimbatore

• Sri Saradha College of Physical Education for Women, Salem

• Dr. Sivanthi Aditanar College of Physical Education, Tiruchendur

Under the faculty of management functioning under TNPESU two departments namely department of sports management, sports psychology & sociology and department of advanced sports training and technology are offering M. Sc, M. Phil, Ph. D, PG Diploma and M. Phil courses in different subjects.

Other departments functioning under the university are also offering these courses in different subjects like yoga, fitness and wellness, etc…A rare coincidence associated with the initial stages of the functioning of the university is that the same month in which its functions started was declared as the International year for sports and physical education by the United Nations. The university aims at achieving excellence in sports and physical education and to produce more efficient sportsmen to the country.