One Land, Two Fates: Kerala Becomes ‘Keralam’ While Bengal’s Wait Continues
One Land, Two Fates: Kerala Becomes ‘Keralam’ While Bengal’s Wait Continues New Delhi | February 25, 2026 — In a historic move that settles a decades-old linguistic debate, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi , officially approved the renaming of Kerala to Keralam on February 24, 2026. However, the decision has sparked a political firestorm in the East, as West Bengal ’s long-standing proposal to change its name to Bangla remains stalled in the corridors of power. Kerala’s Journey to ‘Keralam’ The decision to rename the southern state follows two unanimous resolutions passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in August 2023 and June 2024. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has long argued that while the state is known as "Kerala" in the First Schedule of the Constitution, its native identity is rooted in the Malayalam word Keralam. "The name Keralam reflects the will of the people and strengthens the connect with our glorious culture," PM M...