Kerala to be Renamed Keralam: President Droupadi Murmu Approves Historic Bill

In a landmark decision, President Droupadi Murmu has sanctioned the Bill to rename Kerala as Keralam. This change follows a unanimous resolution from the Kerala Assembly, which had urged the central government to enact this legislation. The Bill, passed by both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, includes necessary amendments to the Constitution to reflect the new name. This move signifies a new identity for the state, aligning with the sentiments expressed by its assembly. Read on to learn more about the implications of this historic name change.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 17, 2026, 14:37 IST

Historic Name Change for Kerala

In a significant move, President Droupadi Murmu has approved a Bill that officially changes the name of Kerala to Keralam, marking a new chapter in the state's identity.

The Lok Sabha passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, on Tuesday, followed by the Rajya Sabha's approval the next day.

During the Rajya Sabha session, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai highlighted that the Kerala Assembly had previously passed a resolution in 2024, requesting the central government to enact a law for the name change.

He stated, “The bill stipulates that the State of Kerala will henceforth be referred to as the State of Keralam.”

The Kerala government had submitted the assembly's resolution regarding the name change to the Centre in June 2024.

Following this, President Murmu sought the state legislature's opinion on the Bill, which led to the Assembly unanimously supporting the proposal.

The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill includes provisions for amending the state's name and outlines necessary changes to the Constitution, as detailed in the Bill's objectives.

Amendments will be made to the First Schedule of the Constitution to reflect the new name Keralam, in accordance with Article 3.