Aiming to bring about change and progress through education, the Tmt.Kannammal Educational Trust was constituted in 1985 and started Thai Moogambigai Polytechnic College. Within three years of its inception, Dr. M.G.R. Engineering College was founded in 1988, and the Thai Moogambigai Dental College was started in the year 1991. Both the colleges acquired Deemed University status in 2003 as Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute as per the orders of the University Grants Commission, New Delhi and the Union Ministry of Human Resources and Development, Government of India, New Delhi.