As Kerala becomes Keralam with Union Cabinet approval, Tharoor asks what residents will be called

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has sparked a linguistic debate after the Union Cabinet is understood to have approved the Kerala government’s proposal to rename the state as ‘Keralam’.

Reacting on X on Tuesday, Tharoor welcomed the move but questioned what residents would be called in English if the name change takes effect.

“All to the good, no doubt, but a small linguistic question for the Anglophones among us: what happens now to the terms ‘Keralite’ and ‘Keralan’ for the denizens of the new ‘Keralam’? ‘Keralamite’ sounds like a microbe and ‘Keralamian’ like a rare earth mineral…! @CMOKerala might want to launch a competition for new terms resulting from this electoral zeal:”

His remark highlights a practical issue: if ‘Kerala’ officially becomes ‘Keralam’, commonly used English words such as ‘Keralite’ and ‘Keralan’ may no longer fit naturally.

The Cabinet decision came ahead of assembly elections expected in April-May.

Assembly’s push for constitutional amendment

The Kerala Assembly had unanimously adopted a resolution on June 24, 2024, urging the Centre to officially change the state’s name to Keralam.

The House had earlier passed a similar unanimous resolution in August 2023 and submitted it to the Centre. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs, after reviewing the first resolution, suggested certain technical changes. The Assembly then passed the resolution again.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who moved the resolution, requested the Union government to amend the name under Article 3 of the Constitution and to have it changed to Keralam in all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule.

‘Keralam’ in Malayalam

Moving the resolution, Vijayan had said the state is called ‘Keralam’ in Malayalam. He added that the demand for a united Kerala for Malayalam-speaking communities had strongly emerged during the national freedom struggle.

However, he pointed out that the name of the state is written as Kerala in the First Schedule of the Constitution.

“This Assembly requests the Centre to take immediate steps to amend it as Keralam under Article 3 of the Constitution and have it renamed as Keralam in all the languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution,” Vijayan had said.

The Union Cabinet is believed to have approved the proposal at its meeting on Tuesday, the first held at the newly inaugurated Seva Teerth, the new PMO building.