NEW DELHI: India’s Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to rename the southern state of Kerala as “Keralam,” marking a key step in a move initiated by the state government to reflect the name used in the Malayalam language.
The decision, taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comes after the Kerala Legislative Assembly passed a resolution seeking the change. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had urged the federal government to amend the state’s name from “Kerala” to “Keralam,” stating that the latter is how the state is referred to in Malayalam.
Under Article 3 of the Indian Constitution, the proposed Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 will be referred by the President to the state legislature for its views. Following this process, the federal government is expected to introduce the bill in Parliament for approval.
If cleared by Parliament, the change will formalize the state’s name as “Keralam” in official records and constitutional texts.
The Indian government has approved a proposal to rename the state of Kerala to 'Keralam,' aligning with its Malayalam name. This decision follows a resolution by the Kerala Legislative Assembly and will proceed through constitutional processes before being formalized in official records.