Rajendra Chola I (Rajendra Chola the Great) is the son of Rajaraja Chola I and is one of the greatest rulers of Tamil Chola dynasty of India.

He succeeds his father in 1014 CE as the Chola emperor.

During his reign, he extends the influences of the already vast Chola empire up to the banks of the river Ganges in the north and across the ocean.

Rajendra’s territories extend to coastal Burma, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and the Maldives.

He conquers the kingdoms of Srivijaya (Sumatra, Java and Malay Peninsula in South East Asia) and Pegu islands with his fleet of ships.

He defeats Mahipala, the Pala king of Bengal and Bihar, and to commemorate his victory he builds a new capital called Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

The Cholas become one of the most powerful dynasties in Asia during his regin.

The Tamil Chola armies exact tribute from Thailand and the Khmer kingdom of Cambodia.

Like the predecessors of the Cholas, the Pallavas and the contemporaneous Pandiyans, the Cholas too under Raja Raja I ,the father of Rajendra and then Rajendra Chola I also, undertake several expeditions to occupy territories outside Indian shores.

Of these kings, it is Rajendra who makes extensive overseas conquests of territories like the Andamans, Lakshadweepa, wide areas of Indochina (Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia and Modern Vietnam) and indeed, Burma.

In fact, Rajendra Chola I is the first Indian king to take his armies overseas and make conquests of these territories.

Although there is epigraphical evidence of Pallava presence in these very areas, it is not known that Burma and Indochina were subordinate to them, as they were under Rajendra and his successors up to Kulothunga I.

He also builds a temple for Siva at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, similar in design to the Tanjore Brihadisvara temple built by Rajaraja Chola.

He assumes the titles Parakesari and Yuddhamalla.