Keralites in Mumbai discuss the Kerala Legislative Assembly’s decision to rename the state as Keralam, sparking cultural pride and practical concerns | AI Generated Representational Image
Mumbai, Feb 24: The Kerala Legislative Assembly passed a resolution on Tuesday to officially change the name of the state to ‘Keralam’ in all languages.
Keralites in Mumbai expressed mixed views on the decision. Hotelier V. Gopalkrishnan Nair said he did not see a good reason for the name change. “The name ‘Kerala’ is already popular all over the world. I think this is a political gimmick,” said Nair.
Calls for focus beyond symbolism
Jojo Thomas, State General Secretary of the MPCC, a Kerala government Loka Kerala Sabha member and socio-cultural activist, issued a call for “substance over mere nomenclature.”
While welcoming the move as a long-overdue linguistic correction, Thomas emphasised that the true pride of the state lies not just in its name, but in its socio-economic resilience.
Emphasising that for millions of Malayalis living outside the state and abroad, ‘Keralam’ is not merely a name but a profound emotion tied to their linguistic and cultural roots, Thomas stated that transitioning from the anglicised ‘Kerala’ to the authentic ‘Keralam’ is a decisive step toward reclaiming a global identity.
While applauding the cultural significance of the move, Thomas cautioned that symbolic changes must not overshadow the pressing socio-economic challenges currently facing the state. “As an expatriate Malayali observing global development models,” he noted that the true strength of ‘Brand Keralam’ lies in administrative efficiency, economic sustainability and the creation of local opportunities for the youth.
He added that a name change alone would not resolve fiscal crises and asserted that while identity is a matter of pride, global respect is earned through a governance system that prioritises infrastructure and employment.
What will residents be called?
However, many Keralites wondered how the inhabitants of the state would now be known. “The people of Kerala are called Keralites. What are they going to be called now?” asked Nair.
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Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, raised the same question on X. “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,” Tharoor wrote in jest.
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