Kerala to Keralam: UAE Malayali Community Celebrates Proposed Name Change

The UAE’s Malayali community has expressed strong support for the proposed renaming of the Indian state of Kerala to Keralam. After the Indian Union Cabinet approved the move on Tuesday, celebrations spread across Gulf expatriate circles, where many have long referred to the state by its traditional Malayalam name.

While official documents like passports, flight tickets, and maps have used ‘Kerala,’ ‘Keralam’ has always been the preferred name among Malayalis. The announcement has evoked pride, humor, and practical considerations among the community in the UAE, which hosts roughly one million Malayali expatriates—the largest Indian state group in the country.

The decision follows resolutions passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly to align the state’s official name with its native Malayalam form. Supporters in the UAE compared the move to the renaming of Bombay to Mumbai or Madras to Chennai, seeing it as a way to reclaim the state’s identity from colonial-era designations.

Sree Prakash Purayath, General Secretary of the Indian Association Sharjah (IAS), noted that in Malayalam, the state has “always been called Keralam.” He explained that the word may derive from either “Cheram,” associated with the Chera dynasty, or from “Kera” (coconut tree) and “Alam” (land), literally meaning “The Land of the Coconut Trees.” Purayath described the move as “a powerful act of linguistic and cultural affirmation.”

Mini Thomas, a school teacher from Kollam, added, “It’s like the world catching up to how we’ve always spoken.”

However, not everyone is in favor. Nissar Thalangara, President of the Indian Association Sharjah and representative of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), argued that ‘Kerala’ is a more internationally recognized term, while ‘Keralam’ feels local. He suggested a public poll before finalizing the decision to ensure broader consensus.

Within India, reactions are mixed. While many celebrated the resolution, others raised practical concerns. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, representing Thiruvananthapuram, humorously questioned on X how residents would be called—“Keralamites,” “Keralamians,” or simply “Malayalis.” His post garnered widespread reactions, including from Gulf-based Malayalis.

It’s important to note that the renaming is not yet official. The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 must pass Parliament to amend the Constitution’s First Schedule and receive Presidential assent. Only after this will official documents and global references reflect the new name, Keralam.