Kerala Soon to be Keralam? Decade-Old Name Change Quest Resurfaces

The long-standing demand to rename Kerala as “Keralam” has resurfaced in the political spotlight after the Kerala Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to approve the change, rekindling a debate that dates back more than a decade.

The issue returned to focus on Saturday when Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar thanked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for responding to his letter supporting the state government’s move. Chandrasekhar had earlier written to the Chief Minister extending the BJP’s backing to the proposal, a rare instance of consensus between the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition BJP on a cultural issue.

Sharing Vijayan’s reply on social media, Chandrasekhar said the name Keralam reflects the state’s history, language and civilisational roots , describing its restoration as a step towards honouring Kerala’s heritage.

In his response, Vijayan noted that Keralam was the state’s original name in Malayalam and that the British had altered it to Kerala for administrative convenience. “The changes made during colonial rule are being corrected and the real name is being restored, in tune with the culture of the state,” the Chief Minister said.

The Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution in June 2024 seeking to change the state’s name in official records from Kerala to Keralam. An earlier resolution adopted in August 2023 was returned by the Union Home Ministry on technical grounds, prompting the state government to submit a revised proposal.

The demand to restore the name Keralam was first raised by language scholars and cultural organisations over a decade ago, arguing that the term “Kerala” is an anglicised version that does not conform to Malayalam linguistic structure. In common usage within the state, residents continue to refer to their homeland as Keralam .

The proposed change is largely symbolic and would not affect administrative boundaries, governance structures or existing identity documents. However, final approval rests with the Central government and Parliament , as any alteration to a state’s official name requires a constitutional amendment under Article 3.

With bipartisan support now emerging, the decade-old quest to restore the state’s original name has once again moved to the national stage leaving the question open: will Kerala officially become Keralam?