Kerala is now Keralam
New Delhi: Kerala has officially got a new name. The Union government has brought the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026 into force, formally changing the name of the southern Indian state from Kerala to Keralam.
The Union Home Ministry issued a Gazette notification on August 25, 2026, appointing the same date as the day on which the provisions of the new law would come into effect.
The move completes a process that began with a resolution passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in June 2024, seeking to change the state’s official name to Keralam. The proposal subsequently went through the required constitutional and parliamentary process before becoming law.
Why has Kerala been renamed Keralam?
The name Keralam corresponds to the state’s traditional Malayalam name and reflects the way the state is known in the Malayalam language.
The Kerala Assembly had originally passed a resolution on June 24, 2024, requesting the Centre to officially change the state’s name. The Union Cabinet later approved the proposal in February 2026, beginning the final legislative process.
The President subsequently referred the matter to the state legislature for its views. The Assembly unanimously supported the proposal before the Bill proceeded through Parliament.
Parliament passes the Kerala name-change Bill
The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 11 and by the Rajya Sabha the following day.
The legislation provides for the alteration of the state’s name and the necessary consequential changes in the Constitution. The First Schedule of the Constitution is amended to replace the name Kerala with Keralam.
President Droupadi Murmu subsequently gave her assent to the legislation, turning the Bill into law.
The final step came when the Union Home Ministry issued the Gazette notification appointing August 25, 2026, as the date on which the Act would come into force.
What changes after Kerala becomes Keralam?
The official name of the state will now be Keralam in the relevant government and constitutional records.
The name change does not create a new state or alter Kerala’s geographical boundaries. It is an official alteration of the state’s name under the Constitution.
Reports also indicate that government records and related documents will gradually be updated to reflect the new name.
A significant moment for Kerala
The change is being viewed as an important recognition of the state’s linguistic and cultural identity. While Kerala has been the English name used officially for decades, Keralam is the traditional Malayalam form.
The notification therefore marks the completion of a process that began with a state Assembly resolution and eventually required approval at both the state and Union levels.
With the law now in force, Keralam is officially the new name of the state formerly known as Kerala.
