THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: School students across the state are all set to showcase and enhance their literary talents at a two-day literary festival Aksharakoottu being organised in Thiruvanthapuram. Organised by the State Institute of Education Technology under the general education department, the festival will begin on September 18. Kanakakunnu Palace auditorium, Jawahar Bal Bhavan and the Agricultural Co-Operative Staff Training Institute at Manvila, will be the venues of the literary festival. Ge

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM-led Left government has come under fire from the BJP for its recent decision to organise a minority meet shortly after the high-profile Global Ayyappa Sangamam. Sources said that the move is being widely seen by many opposition parties, especially the BJP, as a calculated effort by the Left to regain political ground amid growing anti-incumbency sentiment ahead of the upcoming elections. Senior BJP leader V Muraleedharan on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Pin

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state cabinet has approved a draft bill that allows sandalwood trees grown on private land to be cut and sold through the forest department. The bill is intended to encourage sandalwood farming by ensuring that the sale amount reaches the farmer directly. Currently, even if a sandalwood tree is stolen from private land, the land owner is held legally responsible. Existing rules only permit the cutting of dead or dangerous trees or those required to be removed for house co

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has emerged as the state with the highest inflation in India for the eighth consecutive month, sparking sharp criticism from the BJP state leadership. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar blamed the mismanagement of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government for the states worsening economic situation. In a statement issued on Saturday, Rajeev Chandrasekhar pointed to the latest data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, which showed Keralas i

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As India gears up to set up a space station much above the Earth, commoners on the land are left jobless. Fifty-five years and three generations have passed since families were evicted from their land in Veli here, for what is now known as the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). Considering the issue, the High Court had directed the VSSC in August to look into the issue and solve the job crisis within four months. Over 550 families were displaced from 1962 to 1975, for setti

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister Veena George has announced that special wellness clinics for women will be launched at all 5,415 public health centres across the state. The clinics will function on every Tuesday. These clinics will focus on identifying and addressing a range of health issues, including malnutrition, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer screening, among others. The initiative is set to be officially launched on September 16. The minister urged women to make the most of this opp

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With recurrent Nipah outbreaks leaving more questions than answers, the state has launched a critical sero-surveillance initiative aimed at uncovering hidden transmission pathways. A new testing kit, developed by the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV), is at the core of the effort designed to detect Nipah antibodies in both humans and animals. With no conclusive understanding yet of how the virus makes the leap from bats to humans, this surveillance aims to identify possib

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A school that once produced Olympians for the country, but then moved away from the limelight, has now set its sights high help fulfil Indias aspirations in the 2036 Olympics. G V Raja Sports School, a first-of-its-kind-initiative in the state, is preparing for an ambitious revamp to build a comprehensive sports ecosystem. The focus is on putting in place systems for sustained training to enable the sportspersons under its wings to attain global standards. Currently recognis

This Onam was doubly sweet for Santhy Balachandran. The multifaceted Santhy, who first stepped into cinema with Dominic Aruns Tharangam in 2017, has returned to the spotlight with Lokah: Chapter 1: Chandra. The sensational blockbuster not only marks her debut as a writer but also credits her as dramaturgist, a role still unfamiliar to many in our cinema. Together with Dominic, she has spun a universe where Keralas yakshi myths entwine with the Wests vampire lore, creating a spectacle that feels

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Land owners who surrendered their land for the Vizhinjam-Navaikulam Outer Ring Road (ORR) project have approached the High Court alleging that compensation for properties acquired three years ago has not yet been disbursed. As many as 5,000 families are in a spot of bother after the 3D notification was issued. The land owners are unable to use their land for cultivation, avail education or medical loans, construct homes or even repair their dilapidated houses. The ORR Land Ow

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A collective of former vice-chancellors and senior academics from the state has written to the Chief Justice of India, expressing grave concerns over search committees constituted by the Supreme Court for selection of vice-chancellors in technological and digital universities without the representative of the University Grants Commission (UGC). The 13 signatories of the letter include G Madhavan Nair, former chairman, ISRO, TP Sreenivasan, former Vice-Chairman, Kerala State H

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, eight of the countrys leading research institutions based in Thiruvananthapuram have come together to form the Thiruvananthapuram Cluster, a collaborative effort aimed at advancing interdisciplinary research in science and technology. The partnership, formalised on Wednesday, is expected to accelerate innovation by combining expertise across a wide range of specialisations. The agreement was signed at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Me

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The limitations of the Nishagandhi open-air auditorium as a venue for major events, that draw huge crowds, were evident once again during the Onam week celebrations. The concert featuring playback singers, Chinmayi and Vineeth Sreenivasan, held during the past two days drew an overwhelming audience, far exceeding the carrying capacity of the facility. The police, on Tuesday evening, had a hard time managing the crowd leading to manhandling and lathicharge during the concludin

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Suspended IAS officer Prasanth N has accused chief secretary A Jayathilak of serious procedural violations and misuse of power, further intensifying the controversy surrounding the transfer of senior IAS officer B Ashok. The allegations come in the wake of the Central Administrative Tribunals decision to set aside the state governments transfer order, dealing a significant blow to the state administration and putting the chief secretarys office under close scrutiny. The trans

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Praising Kudumbashree for its timely adaptations to thrive in new challenges, Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh said that the mission can play a key role in lifting Keralas economy to the level of middle-income countries. Kudumbashree has empowered women in socio-political, cultural and financial domains, and now the target has to be the increase of incomes, the minister said, after inaugurating the Rural Enterprise Incubator three-day national workshop at Hotel Hycin

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister Veena George said that the health department is planning to conduct a study on the rising cases of heart diseases among youth, following several incidents of sudden cardiac deaths. She also spoke about creating community awareness on life-saving procedures, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), an emergency procedure used during cardiac arrest, in connection with the upcoming World Heart Day. The ministers remarks came during the release of 10 Commandme

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A wide variety of gifts, including sculptures, paintings, statues, idols and mementos, received by Governor Rajendra Arlekar and his predecessors will soon be put up for public display at Raj Bhavan owing to its cultural, artistic and educational value. The governor held discussions in this regard with P S Manjula Devi, director of Department of Museums and Zoos, on scientific classification and methods of exhibition of the artifacts. The Raj Bhavan also houses invaluable wor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the Onam celebration procession moved through the city, a band played the popular Malayalam song Shanthamee Rathriyil, much like how the festivities were enjoyed in the state capital the night before. The ceremonial procession, which was flagged off by Governor Rajendra Arlekar, provided a visual treat for thousands of people, of all age groups, gathered there. The governor began his speech by calling Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan his elder brother. Arlekar said the week

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A report by Crime Branch DySP K A Vidyadharan has found serious lapses and misconduct by police officials in the case involving the wrongful detention and torture of Bindu R, a Dalit domestic worker. The investigation pertains to the alleged theft of a 2.5-sovereign gold chain from the house of Omana Daniel, where Bindu used to work. On April 23, Bindu was taken to the Peroorkada police station for questioning after Omana filed a complaint claiming that her gold chain was mis

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Thiruvananthapuram district collector and PRD director M Nandakumar, 69, passed away on Tuesday at a private hospital in the city. He had been in coma after a brain surgery that led to allegations of medical negligence. A case was registered. Nandakumar was appointed Thiruvananthapuram district collector in October 2011. He is survived by wife N S Sreelatha (retired assistant registrar, Cooperative Department), children N S Vishnu Nandan (University of Calgary, Canada)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 75-year-old man from the Maldives has successfully undergone a Trans catheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) procedure guided by advanced 3D-CT imaging at KIMSHEALTH, Thiruvananthapuram. He was suffering from severe aortic valve stenosis, a serious condition in which narrowing of the hearts aortic valve restricts blood flow from the heart, leading to increased pressure within the heart chambers. The patient came to the outpatient department with severe breathlessness. Det

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital will host a two-day international workshop organised by the Energy Management Centre (EMC)-Kerala under the states department of power on the topic Energy Efficiency, Conservation and Transition for Achieving Net Zero and Sustainable Development Goals from Tuesday (September 9). Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty will inaugurate the workshop at 10 am on Tuesday at EMC. While Puneet Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Power Department) will welcome the gathering,

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Central funds to the tune of over Rs 1,148 crore to Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) pending, the general education department has decided to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the acute shortage. The government will also look to get the PMs appointment to inform him about the challenges faced by the states education sector, General Education Minister V Sivankutty told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. The government is planning a state-level convention to e

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city has been choking, gasping for air due to traffic congestion during the ongoing Onam Week celebrations even as the states largest multi-level car parking (MLCP) facility at Palayam remains woefully underutilised. Ironically, vehicles are being parked right in front of the complex while the `30-crore facility that can accommodate 300 cars continues to record poor occupancy. Even on peak Onam days, only around 200 vehicles were parked at the facility. People are hesitan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A drunken argument between a man and his son ended with the father allegedly hacking the youth to death at their house near Ulloorkonam in Thiruvananthapuram last week. As per the Pothencode police, the incident took place around noon on Thiruvonam day, Friday, but came to light only on Sunday. They said Unnikrishnan confessed to hacking his son Ullas, 35, to death at his house in Navodaya Nagar close to Karyavattom Greenfield Stadium. He is being interrogated in detail, said

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vizhinjam International Seaport has set a new operational benchmark by handling MSC Virginia, a container vessel with a draft of 16.95 metres the second-highest draft ever handled in India. The ship departed for Spain on Sunday morning after completing cargo operations at the port. MSC Virginia had arrived at Vizhinjam from Adani Mundra Port with a draft of 16 metres. Following the handling of nearly 5,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of cargo, the draft increased

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Upon receiving a complaint about a homestay fraud allegation at the Gandhari Amman Kovil road, Education Minister V Sivankutty on Sunday visited the site and ensured immediate police action in the issue. The minister, who was accompanied by Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil and MLA I B Satheesh, acted upon a complaint filed by Nedumangad natives Naseera Beevi and her daughter Nevin Sulthana. According to Naseera, they entered into an agreement to run a homestay in the city wit

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar will flag off the closing procession of the Onam celebration at Manaveeyam Veedhi in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, state ministers, and cultural icons are expected to participate in the event, General Education Minister V Sivankutty said in a press conference on Sunday. The procession from Vellayambalam to East Fort will start by 4 pm and feature nearly 1,000 artists performing 91 art forms. Reflecting the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keralas child mortality rate is now less than that of the US. Keralas child mortality rate is 5 per 1,000 births, lowest in the country as per the latest Sample Registration System report. Infant mortality rate for the United States is 5.6. Keralas mortality is lower than that of developed countries, Health Minister Veena George said in a statement on Saturday. The minister congratulated health workers and other stakeholders who worked for this. Keralas infant mortality rate

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the city corporation has inaugurated the states first fully modernised abattoir, its operations are yet to gather full steam amid concerns raised by butchers and meat traders. After remaining shut for over a decade, the city corporation inaugurated the slaughterhouse, modernised at a cost of Rs 10 crore, very recently. The civic bodys decision to levy a slaughtering fee of Rs 1,500 for large animals has come as a heavy blow to the butchers and meat vendors. Meat trade

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On the eve of Thiruvonam, Governor Rajendra Arlekar visited veteran actor Madhu on Thursday to convey Onam greetings. Governor arrived at Madhus residence in Kannammoola with traditional Onam gifts, including kasavumundu, upperi, sharkkaravaratti, pappadam, fruits, and payasam. He was accompanied by his wife Anagha Arlekar, grandson Srihari, and Union Minister Suresh Gopi. According to Raj Bhavan, the governor enquired about Madhus health and said it was a matter of pride to

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state capital on the eve of Thiruvonam witnessed Uthradapachil an unprecedented rush with people thronging the streets for last minute purchases. Traffic at Overbridge, East Fort, Chalai, Pazhavangadi and MG Road intermittently halted with shoppers dominating the streets for buying vegetables to textiles to celebrate Onam. Almost every street leading to Chalai, Palayam and MG Road three popular shopping areas were taken over by shoppers and pedestrians. Many feel that

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With Onam shopping and festive travel peaking, the Kazhakkoottam-Kaniyapuram stretch of National Highway 66 is witnessing heavy traffic congestion, especially during peak hours. The choked corridor, which serves as a major entry and exit point to the state capital, has turned into a bottleneck for motorists, IT employees, and local residents. The NH development work at Kaniyapuram and the dilapidated service road are the major reasons for the worsening traffic situation. Thos

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The residents of Vattiyoorkavu spent a tense Tuesday night stranded in their own homes after underground cabling work by the KSEB left an entire stretch inaccessible. The work, carried out on the road behind the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School, saw trenches dug along nearly one kilometre, blocking entry to houses and preventing the movement of emergency vehicles. The digging began on Tuesday evening and continued past midnight, with the stretch only restored by

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid the raging controversy over the appointment of vice-chancellors to various universities, the decision of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) syndicate to reappoint the registrar and controller of examinations (CoE) several months after the end of their term is likely to end up in a legal tangle. On completion of their four-year terms, the two officials, who were on deputation from affiliated engineering colleges, were reverted to their parent institutions si

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For the residents of Kochar Road, Sasthamangalam, Onam this year has turned into a season of hardship. Even in the middle of the festive season, nearly 100 families living on the Kochar Road stretch are reeling under acute drinking water crisis owing to apathy from the part of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA). Residents of Subramanian Lane, Madathu Vilakam Lane, and adjoining areas near the Alakapuri Auditorium have been struggling without regular water supply for the past si

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Highlighting that the contributions of the Womens Commission in the last 30 years had been instrumental in raising women s digniity, the commission president, P Sathidevi, mentioned that women should be more aware about their rights in the current period of social change. She was speaking after the district-level sitting of the commission at the Cotton Hill School on Tuesday. Emphasising that women have been stepping into different work streams and the issues there need to be

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Revving up the festive spirit of Onam, Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas on Tuesday evening switched on the illuminations across the state capital, heralding the start of the week-long Onam celebrations organised by the Kerala tourism department. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will formally inaugurate the state-level festivities at the Nishagandhi Open Air Auditorium at 6pm on Wednesday. The entire stretch from Kowdiar to Manacaud has been lit up with rows of dazzling light

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vegetables worth Rs 4.7 crore were procured across the state on the opening day of the Onam Farmers Markets 2025 organised by the agriculture department. The initiative aims to ensure better returns for farmers, provide safe food to consumers, and curb price hikes during the season. According to the department, produce worth Rs 2.9 crore was directly procured from farmers. Another Rs 1.8 crore worth of vegetables were sourced through Horticorp and the Vegetable and Fruit Prom

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the wake of growing complaints, the state government has decided to convene meetings of private ambulance operators in all districts to discuss issues related to the transport of critically ill patients. The decision was taken at a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The chief minister highlighted that there have been repeated complaints against private ambulance drivers for avoiding government hospitals and taking accident victims to private hospita

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Supreme Court judge Rohinton Nariman on Monday called fraternity and secularism the twin pillars of the Indian Constitution, warning that distortions of history and divisive rhetoric pose a grave threat to national harmony. Speaking at a lecture on Fraternity in a secular state - The protection of cultural rights and duties organised by the Vakkom Moulavi Foundation Trust (VMFT), Nariman said Indias diversity makes its constitutional framework unique and incomparable t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A government employee collapsed and died while taking part in the Onam celebrations on Monday evening. Junaise Abdullah, who worked as the deputy librarian at the Kerala Legislative Assembly, collapsed while participating in a group dance in the Sankara Narayanan Thampi Hall here. Though his colleagues initially felt that he had fallen after missing a step, they later rushed him to the general hospital in the assemblys ambulance. Assembly officers called off the Onam celebrat

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the fragrance of Onam festivities rising, the state capital is witnessing significant rise in floriculture. Flower farming in the district has grown from 216.82 hectares in 2024 to 221.5 hectares in 2025, according to Poovili 2025, a report prepared by the department of economics and statistics. The report, released by MLA V K Prasanth, was prepared to understand the current status of floriculture in the district and to identify growth trends, challenges faced by farmers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated 15 major development projects worth over Rs 180 crore at the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, on Monday. These included completed projects worth Rs 98.79 crore, and foundation stones were laid for new projects amounting to Rs 81.50 crore. The chief minister described the projects as a reflection of the governments patient-centric public health policy. These new facilities will bring in a revolutionary change in patien

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malayinkeezhu is rewriting the rules of rural well-being. Over the past two years, the grama panchayat has been working on creating happiness gramams that encourage people to pause, connect and breathe easy. The idea emerged after a survey conducted by the panchayat found worrying patterns, including rising cases of suicide and divorce, and increased emotional disconnect among families. It was not just about infrastructure or employment, but also encompassed loneliness and la

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Investing in education delivers the highest return for any society aiming for progress, said Nobel laureate in Chemistry, professor Morten P Meldal. He was addressing participants during an online lecture at the third RGCB Research Conference, organised by BRIC Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), held in Munnar on Saturday. Prof Meldal emphasised that nations such as Vietnam, Poland, Finland, and Denmark have achieved significant economic and developmental strides

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A youth died in a road accident on the National Highway 66 in Kazhakkoottam on Sunday morning. Balaramapuram native Shibin, 28, died after the Thar jeep he was driving crashed into a pillar at the elevated highway near Technopark in the wee hours. While Shibin died on the spot, four of co-passengers Rajaneesh, 27, Kiran, 29, Akhila, 28, and Sreelekshmi, 23 suffered injuries and are currently undergoing treatment in different hospitals. The incident happened when the group o

Anime has a funny way of sneaking into lives. One moment, someone is casually watching an episode to see what the hype is about, and the next, its 3 am, six seasons deep into a shonen series, passionately explaining to friends why One Piece is not a cartoon. For years, anime fans in Thiruvananthapuram binged their favourite shows in their rooms. But that is changing now as the Onigiri Order, a small yet growing community, brings otakus in the city together. What began as a casual WhatsApp group

Onam has tiptoed in, and the city is draped in festive hues. Markets are filled with chendumalli, vadamalli, thumba, arali, roses, and the ever-fragrant jasmine. Streets are busy with people dressed in their ethnic attire women in kasavu sarees and men in their classic mundu and kurtas, running around for last-minute shopping or to join celebrations. Colleges and institutions kick-started their Onam celebrations. For students, this is the one week to bring out their best look, click endless pic

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a first-of-its-kind move, the Thiruvananthapuram zoo will send serum samples of sambar deer to the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals (IAH&VB) in Palode. The aim is to assess how effective the anti-rabies vaccine has been in wild deer following the recent rabies outbreak inside the zoo. The decision comes in the wake of two sambar deer dying of rabies within a span of one week. The anti-rabies vaccine being used on the deer was developed for domestic ani