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Address Elliots Beach, Besant Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600090 Similar Edward Elliot's Beach, Ashtalakshmi Temple - Chennai, Broken Bridge, Senate House - Madras, Birla Planetarium - Chennai | ||
The Karl Schmidt Memorial is an architectural landmark commemorating a European sailor who drowned in 1930 trying to save the life of a girl. It is located at Elliot's Beach in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The monument is in a derelict state.
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Karl schmidt memorial on elliot beach in chennai
History
According to historians, Schmidt, who had gone to the beach, saw an English girl getting into the water who soon started struggling against the tide. In a successful attempt to save her life, he lost his own. The English girl, who Schmidt saved from the sea, attended a party the following evening as though nothing had happened. The then governor, who was apparently angry with her, built the memorial to mark Schmidt's gallant act.
The memorial
According to experts, the structure, which was built using bricks, lacks a stone foundation. The uneven base and the sea water have caused damage to the memorial over the years.
The memorial is the only heritage structure on Elliot's Beach. The memorial stone in the memorial reads, "To commemorate the gallantry of K A J Schmidt who was drowned near this spot on December 30, 1930 while helping to save the lives of others."
In March 2013, the Corporation of Chennai announced that it would restore the memorial. In connection with the planned restoration of the memorial, the Chennai Corporation announced on 4 February 2014 that it plans to utilize Fiber Wrapping Technology to reinforce the structure.