News Desk: In a key development on Tuesday, the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to rename the State of “Kerala” as “Keralam.” The announcement was made by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (Kerala Renaming).
The approval comes nearly one and a half years after the Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on June 24, 2024, urging the Centre to formally adopt the name “Keralam.”
Resolution First Moved in 2024
The resolution had been introduced by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He requested that the Union Government change the State’s name from “Kerala” to “Keralam” across all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
While presenting the resolution in 2024, the Chief Minister pointed out that the State is referred to as “Keralam” in Malayalam. He also recalled that the demand for a united Kerala for Malayalam-speaking people had gained strong momentum during the national freedom struggle.
The Assembly later passed the resolution for a second time. This followed a review by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which suggested certain technical modifications to the original proposal.
What Does ‘Keralam’ Mean?
Scholars describe the change as linguistic rather than semantic.
Experts note that “Kerala” reflects a colonial-era spelling that entered official records, whereas “Keralam” mirrors the pronunciation in Malayalam. Historian Shaji A., professor at the University of Kerala, has observed that British administrators often modified spellings of names ending in “m” or “n” for convenience. In everyday Malayalam usage, however, the name has consistently remained “Keralam.”
Dr. K.N. Ganesh, associated with the Kerala Council of Historical Research, characterised the shift as moving “from British colonial connotation to Malayalam linguistic connotation.”
The word “Keralam” is understood to derive from two Malayalam words — “kera,” meaning coconut, and “alam” or “ilam,” meaning land or place of origin — together interpreted as “land of coconuts.”
Constitutional Process Under Article 3
The procedure for altering the name of a State is laid out under Article 3 of the Constitution of India.
Under this provision, Parliament may change the name of a State by law. However, such a Bill cannot be introduced in either House without the recommendation of the President. If the proposal concerns the area, boundaries, or name of a State, the President must first refer it to the concerned State Legislature for its views within a specified period.
Following the Cabinet’s decision, the President of India will refer the proposed Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the Kerala Legislative Assembly under the proviso to Article 3 for its views.
After the Assembly communicates its position, the Government of India will obtain the President’s recommendation to introduce the Bill in Parliament to formally effect the change from “Kerala” to “Keralam.”
The proposal had been examined by the Ministry of Home Affairs. With the approval of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, a draft Cabinet note was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and the Legislative Department under the Ministry of Law and Justice. Both departments agreed with the proposal.
Political Reactions and Timing
The Centre’s approval comes ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections, which are expected to be held in April–May.
While most experts have not raised objections, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor questioned on social media what would happen to terms such as “Keralite” and “Keralan” if the State’s name becomes “Keralam.”
The move also aligns with a broader trend across India, where States and cities have adopted names that reflect local pronunciation or historical identity rather than anglicised versions.
Background: A Long-Standing Demand
In its 2024 resolution, the State government noted that Kerala was formed on November 1, 1956. The date is observed annually as Kerala Piravi Day.
The resolution also stated that during the national independence movement, there had been a strong call for the creation of a united Kerala for Malayalam-speaking people. However, in the First Schedule of the Constitution, the State’s name is recorded as “Kerala.”
With the Union Cabinet’s approval now in place, the formal legislative process to change the name to “Keralam” has begun.
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