'Kerala' to 'Keralam': Renaming delayed despite Union Cabinet approval

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The official renaming of the state from 'Kerala' to 'Keralam' is unlikely to happen immediately, as state government sources indicate that further action hinges on upcoming directives from the Centre. While the Union Cabinet has cleared the proposal, the transition cannot progress until the Central Government formally passes the necessary legislation.

Drafting the renaming bill is expected to be a time-consuming process. Once formulated under the President's recommendation, the bill will be referred to the Kerala Legislative Assembly for its feedback, requiring a special assembly session to be convened. State officials maintain that no further steps will be considered until explicit instructions are received from the Central Government.

Beyond the legislative hurdles, the renaming process carries a massive price tag running into crores of rupees—a factor that is reportedly deterring the new government from rushing into implementation.

The transition to 'Keralam' must be executed across both English and Hindi formats, requiring a massive overhaul of global branding, particularly within the tourism sector. Furthermore, the name 'Kerala' is deeply embedded across numerous public sector undertakings, necessitating widespread updates to official signage, stationery, and digital assets. Academically, modifying university names presents a logistical challenge of significant magnitude, as it will require altering future educational certificates and official documentation.