From Kerala To Keralam: UAE's Malayali Community Reacts To Proposed Renaming

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Supporters describe the change as a natural correction similar to Bombay becoming Mumbai or Madras becoming Chennai

** PUBLISHED:** Wed 25 Feb 2026, 5:00 AM

By:

Mazhar Farooqui

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For generations of Malayalis in the UAE, home has always been 'Keralam ’ in conversation, even if passports and flight tickets said ‘Kerala’.

Now, that difference may disappear. India’s Union Cabinet has cleared a proposal to officially rename the southern state as ‘Keralam’, triggering pride, humour and practical concerns across the Gulf diaspora.

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The move follows resolutions passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly seeking to align the state’s official name with its traditional Malayalam form. The debate resonates strongly in the UAE, which is home to an estimated one million Malayalis, making them one of the largest expatriate communities in the country and the most represented Indian state group.

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Supporters describe the change as a natural correction similar to Bombay becoming Mumbai or Madras becoming Chennai, replacing what they see as a colonial-era adaptation with the name locals have always used.

Sree Prakash Purayath, General Secretary of the Indian Association Sharjah (IAS), called the move culturally significant.

“The push to rename Kerala to Keralam is essentially an effort to align the state’s official name with its native Malayalam pronunciation,” he told Khaleej Times.“In Malayalam, the language spoken by the majority, the state has always been called Keralam. The name Kerala is often viewed as from the colonial era and subsequent official documentation.”

He noted that the word traces its roots either to“Cheram,” linked to the ancient Chera dynasty, or to“Kera” (coconut tree) and“Alam” (land), meaning“The Land of Coconut Trees.”

“It’s a classic case of endonym versus exonym. When a state reclaims its native name, it is often a powerful act of linguistic and cultural affirmation,” he said.

However, even within the same community body, opinions differ.

Nissar Thalangara, President of the Indian Association Sharjah and a representative of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), said he would have preferred retaining the existing name.

“Kerala is a more international term, and Keralam is local,” he said.“We are attracting more international tourists. My opinion is that they should have stuck to Kerala. Alternatively, the government should have done a poll.”

For Mini Thomas, a school teacher from Kollam, the change feels overdue.

“It’s like the world catching up to how we’ve always spoken,” she said.

Others question the timing. Firoz Sainudeen, a UAE-based interior design associate who grew up in Dubai, said more pressing issues deserve attention.

“Seems like a political move. I’m not very bothered because I’ve grown up here in Dubai,” he said.“At a minimum, there should have been a public poll before a drastic move like this.”

He pointed to youth unemployment and drug abuse as areas requiring focus, adding that Kerala’s global tourism brand is already well established.

The humour, meanwhile, has not been lost on the diaspora. Congress parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor, who represents Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, sparked debate on X with a tongue-in-cheek post asking whether residents should now be called“Keralamites,”“Keralamians,” or simply“Malayalis.” The post drew thousands of reactions, including from Gulf-based users.

The renaming is not yet final. The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, must pass Parliament to amend the Constitution’s First Schedule before receiving Presidential assent. Only then would official documents and global references reflect the new name.

Still, the Cabinet nod has already set off conversations across community halls, labour camps and WhatsApp groups in the UAE.

As one resident put it:“Whether it’s Kerala or Keralam on the signboard, the appam and stew will taste the same. But it does feel good when the world says your name the way you do."

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