after india's independence in 1947, the former madras presidency of british india became india's madras state. in 1953, the northern districts of madras state, including the godavari district, became the new state of andhra. yanam was relinquished by the french in 1954, but one condition of the cession treaty was the retention of the district's separate and distinct identity, which also applied to the other south indian enclaves constituting today's puducherry state.