INTRODUCTION
Recently, the Union Cabinet cleared Kerala’s proposal to officially change its name to Keralam. This change shall require an amendment to the First Schedule of the Constitution of India, where the state is currently listed as Kerala.
BACKGROUND
Since the time of National Independence, there has been a strong demand for the formation of United Kerala for the people speaking the Malayalam language. But in the First Schedule to the Constitution, the name of the State was recorded as Kerala. In 2023 and June 2024, the Kerala Legislative Assembly passed a resolution proposing the name change. The state government later forwarded the request and appealed for a name change to the Centre.
KEY POINTS
- The shift from Kerala to Keralam aligns the state’s official name with how it is spoken in Malayalam. The word carries cultural and linguistic significance for the people of the state, and is interpreted as “the land of coconuts”.
- Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, will now be sent to the Kerala Legislative Assembly for its formal review.
- The Government of Kerala has requested the Government of India to take necessary steps to amend the First Schedule to the Constitution by altering the name of the State of Kerala to Keralam as per Article 3 of the Constitution. Article 3 of the Constitution provides for alteration of the names of existing States, where the Parliament may by law alter the name of any State.
- The matter regarding alteration of name of State of Kerala as Keralam was considered in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and with the approval of Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Affairs and the Union Minister of Cooperation, the draft Note for the Cabinet for the alteration of name of State of Kerala as Keralam was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice for their comments. The Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, have concurred with the proposal for the alteration of the name of the State of Kerala as Keralam.
- Numerous theories surround the origin of the name Kerala. Rock Edict II of Ashoka, dated to 257 BCE, mentions Keralaputra, which is Sanskrit for son of Kerala, also interpreted as a reference to the Chera dynasty. Some scholars trace Keralam to Cheram. German scholar Herman Gundert noted that keram is the Kannada form of Cheram and described Keralam as Cheram, the region between Gokarnam and Kanyakumari. The root “cher” is understood as “to join”, and appears in the compound “Cheralam”, with “alam” meaning land or region.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
As the Union Cabinet cleared the proposal and accepted it, the procedure under Article 3 shall now begin. The President will first refer the Bill to the Kerala Legislative Assembly to seek its views. Once the Assembly responds, the Centre will move ahead. Further, the President’s recommendation will be obtained to introduce the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, in Parliament. If the Parliament passes the Bill and the President gives the assent, Keralam will replace Kerala in all records.
CONCLUSION
To conclude, the Union Cabinet’s approval to begin the process of changing the state’s official name from Kerala to Keralam marks a measured, legally rooted recognition of the local linguistic identity and historical tradition. While the proposal reinforces cultural self-expression and historical continuity, its success will depend on transparent and timely action and implementation to avoid and minimise any conflict or disruption.
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WRITTEN BY: STUTI ANVI
