How Raveli pattu, Keralas ancient story telling tradition, is struggling to survive
PK Narayanan, one of the few remaining performers of the Raveli pattu, is striving to keep the oral tradition alive
The World Carries India Within It
On 15 August 2026, India will raise its flag for the eightieth time. Seventy-nine years since the British left. Seventy-nine years since freedom arrived carrying both a promise and a question: What would we do with it? Every Independence Day, we remember the struggle, the marches, the prisons, the salt, the sacrifice, the long and wounded birth of a nation. But perhaps Independence Day is also a time to remember another inheritance, the ideas, inventions, practices and traditions that India has sent out into the world. Not as a boast, not as a claim staked on history, but as a quiet reckoning with the ways in which knowledge travels, leaving one civilization, entering another, and finally becoming so ordinary that nobody remembers where it began. One of Indias most influential contributions came from mathematics. Its story was not the work of one mathematician alone. In the fifth century, Aryabhata developed a place-value system that depended on the idea of an empty position, creating what we might call a silent zero. Although he did not use a separate written symbol for zero, his system required a placeholder to distinguish numerical values according to their position. More than a century later, Brahmagupta gave that silence a mathematical identity. In the seventh century, he described zero, or Shunya, as a number in its own right and established rules for calculating with it. Together with the decimal and place-value systems, their work transformed calculation and gave the world a numerical language in which stars could be measured, economies could be built and machines could think. The mobile phone in your hand, the satellite circling above you and the spreadsheet waiting for its next figure all carry, somewhere inside their intricate machinery, the inheritance of that ancient Indian insight. But Indias mathematical imagination did not end with zero. Indian scholars made significant advances in algebra, geometry, astronomy, trigonometry and the calculation of pi. Aryabhata wrote about the rotation of the Earth and developed methods for calculating astronomical positions. The Sulba Sutras contained early geometrical knowledge, while later mathematicians such as Bhaskara II explored ideas that anticipated aspects of algebra and calculus. These achievements remind us that mathematics is not merely a collection of formulas. It is a way of asking the universe to reveal its pattern. Chess travelled in a different way. It began, historians broadly believe, in the form of Chaturanga, a game of war and strategy played in India during the Gupta period. Its pieces represented the forces of an army: infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots. Over centuries, the game moved through Persia and the Arab world before reaching Europe, changing shape as it travelled. Today, a chessboard can be found in a schoolroom in Srinagar, a caf in Paris, a park in Moscow or a championship hall in Chennai. Indias gift was not only the game. It was the idea that conflict could be studied, contained and transformed into thought. Indias contributions to language were equally profound. Paninis Ashtadhyayi, composed more than two thousand years ago, presented Sanskrit grammar through an extraordinarily precise system of rules. Its structure has drawn the attention of modern linguists and computer scientists because of its formal, almost algorithmic quality. It showed that language could be observed not only as poetry and expression, but also as a system with patterns, structures and transformations. In India, language was not simply a tool for communication. It was a universe to be examined. The countrys reputation as a centre of learning is older than its modern universities. Takshashila and Nalanda were places where students and scholars gathered from different regions to study medicine, astronomy, philosophy, grammar and logic. Nalanda, in present-day Bihar, drew scholars from China and Central Asia. It belonged to an age when knowledge did not always arrive divided into departments, syllabi and examination halls. It moved more freely, like water finding its level. Indias medical traditions also travelled through time and across borders. Ayurveda developed a holistic approach to health, placing attention on diet, herbs, daily routines and the relationship between body and mind. The Charaka Samhita explored internal medicine, while the surgical writings attributed to Sushruta described procedures and instruments that reveal the sophistication of early Indian surgery. These traditions have immense historical significance. Their modern use, however, must be approached responsibly. Ancient systems may inform contemporary wellness, but they cannot replace evidence-based clinical care. India also made remarkable advances in metallurgy. The Iron Pillar of Delhi, known for its resistance to corrosion, remains a striking example of ancient Indian metalworking. Indian wootz steel, produced through a sophisticated crucible process, became renowned for its quality and influenced the development of famous Damascus blades. Behind these achievements lay an understanding of heat, carbon, minerals and materials that was practical, experimental and highly refined. Few Indian traditions have travelled as visibly as yoga. Once practised by relatively small circles of seekers, yoga now appears in schools, studios, hospitals, gyms and living rooms across the world. It has been stretched, commercialised, branded and sometimes separated from its philosophical roots. Yet beneath the mats, the postures and the breath-counting remains an old proposition: that the body is not merely a machine carrying the mind, but a doorway into it. The United Nations recognised 21 June as the International Day of Yoga in 2014, and UNESCO placed yoga on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016. Long before institutions gave it official recognition, people had already discovered what the practice could offer: a pause in a world that profits from permanent motion. Indias philosophical gifts have travelled even further. Buddhism carried ideas of compassion, mindfulness and freedom from suffering across Asia and eventually into the wider world. Jainism placed non-violence and respect for all living beings at the centre of spiritual life. Sikhism brought together equality, courage, devotion and service. And then there was ahimsa, non-violence, not as weakness and not as surrender, but as a force capable of unsettling an empire. Mahatma Gandhi transformed it into a method of mass resistance. Martin Luther King Jr. studied and adapted its principles during the American civil rights movement. Others, in different countries and different struggles, found in it a way to confront power without becoming its mirror. Indias gifts have not travelled only through books and laboratories. They have travelled in song, spice, fabric, rhythm and story. Indian cotton and textiles were traded across the ancient world. Hindustani and Carnatic music carry centuries of listening. Bharatanatyam and Kathak turn the body into language. Indian food crosses borders in tiffin boxes, restaurants, kitchens and family recipes altered by migration. Indian cinema, made in many languages and many emotional registers, has created its own geography of longing. Its songs travel farther than its plots. Its faces become familiar in places where the languages are not. The world may not understand every word, but it recognises the gesture: the mother waiting, the lover returning, the family breaking and remaking itself. These are not small things. A culture survives not only in monuments, but in what people hum while washing dishes, in what they cook when they are homesick and in the stories they tell their children before sleep. Modern India has continued to send its ideas outward. The Indian Space Research Organisation has shown that ambitious scientific work need not always be accompanied by extravagant spending. The Mars Orbiter Mission, launched in 2013, entered Mars orbit on 24 September 2014 on its first attempt. ISRO describes it as Indias first interplanetary mission and notes that its success demonstrated the countrys ability to carry out a complex mission in a cost-effective manner. But science is not a miracle performed by a nation. It is the result of people: scientists, technicians, teachers, programmers, machinists, students and workers whose names rarely appear in celebration speeches. The same is true of the Universal Serial Bus, now so familiar that its name has almost disappeared into everyday language. Indian-American computer architect Ajay V. Bhatt led the team at Intel that developed the technology. The device that connects our phones, cameras, hard drives and laptops is another reminder that innovation often arrives quietly, then becomes indispensable. Indias scientific contribution also includes the work of Jagadish Chandra Bose in radio and plant science, the development of fibre-optic communication by Narinder Singh Kapany and the achievements of Indian doctors, engineers, researchers and entrepreneurs working across the world. The story of Indias gifts is therefore not a straight line from an ancient past to a glorious present. It is a river with many streams. Some flow from Sanskrit texts and temple schools. Some come from laboratories, universities and space centres. Some emerge from workshops, kitchens, farms, weaving communities and ordinary homes. There is a danger, however, in making a catalogue of Indias achievements. A country can become so enchanted by its ancient glory that it forgets the living people standing in its shadow. What does it mean to praise Nalanda while schools crumble? To celebrate Ayurveda while public hospitals struggle? To speak of the wisdom of non-violence while hatred is made profitable? To celebrate the sophistication of Indian mathematics while children are denied the education needed to understand it? To claim the generosity of Indian civilization while dissenters are silenced, minorities are frightened and the poor are asked to be grateful for survival? The question is not whether India has given the world great things. It has. The more difficult question is whether India is still willing to give the world what its oldest traditions demanded of it: curiosity without arrogance, knowledge without ownership, strength without cruelty, faith without hatred and progress without the destruction of the vulnerable. Zero teaches us that absence can contain possibility. Astronomy teaches us to look beyond the limits of the earth. Chess teaches us that every move alters the board. Yoga teaches us to breathe before we act. Language teaches us that every word carries a history. Metallurgy teaches us that patient knowledge can outlast its makers. Music teaches us that memory can be carried in sound. Ahimsa teaches us that power need not resemble violence. Perhaps these are not merely Indias gifts to the world. Perhaps they are instructions sent back to India from its own past. So, when the flag rises on 15 August, let it not be only a symbol of what India once overcame, or a banner beneath which we recite what India once achieved. Let it be a question moving through the country, from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Delhi to the paddy fields of Punjab, the apple orchards of Kashmir and the fishing villages of Kerala; from the farmers who read the sky, to the weavers who preserve memory in thread, to the students building robots in Atal Tinkering Labs, to the scientists sending Indias imagination beyond the earth: What will we do with what we have inherited? Because a nation is not made great by the treasures it locks inside its history. It is made great by what it protects in the present, by what it imagines for the future, and by whether, after giving the world zero, India can still find a way to make sure that no one, no child, no community, no language and no memory is treated as if they count for nothing. (The author is a columnist)
Death of wild boars raises concerns in Keralas Kasaragod
Carcasses of 10 animals found in Vorkady panchayat over the past two weeks; residents urge authorities to ensure that the carcasses are safely disposed of to prevent any possible health risk
Three police officers suspended for allegedly taking money from scrap dealer in Kochi
Action was taken against the officers following allegations of misconduct during the investigation into a theft case
Egg attacks target Kerala buses near Bidadi? Karnataka cops deny link with fatal accident
K.C. Venugopal seeks more Onam special trains to Kerala
Venugopal, held discussions with Mr. Vaishnaw on Friday during which he pointed out that the services sanctioned so far were inadequate
Pay salary to DIET staff without delay: KSTA
Their salary had been pending for months, says the school teachers body
After 12 years, Neelakurinji begins to bloom in Keralas Chokramudi hills
After 12 years, Neelakurinji begins to bloom in Keralas Chokramudi hills
Egg attacks raise safety concerns for Kerala KSRTC buses
Bengaluru: The discovery of broken eggs on a Kerala KSRTC bus involved in a fatal accident on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway and a subsequent egg-throwing incident targeting another Kerala-bound bus have raised concerns over a possible pattern of attacks on buses travelling at night. The first incident occurred on August 8, when a Kerala KSRTC bus Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Arjun Ayanki taken into custody in threat case
No direction to sing Vande Mataram in Kerala schools on Independence Day
Director of General Educations circular to school head teachers mentions only national anthem.
Seven sentenced to life in Kannamoola Vishnu murder case
In addition to the life sentence, the seven convicts will have to undergo 20 years of rigorous imprisonment under various provisions
Minister Roji M. John condemns protest by SFI at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit as the student organisation rejects reports that it staged a mock funeral of Ciza Thomas, Vice-Chancellor, while a meeting of Syndicate was under way on Thursday
Action plan on cards to avert traffic snarls in Keralas Kozhikode during Onam
Entry of solo-driven cars to Kozhikode city likely to be restricted as part of crowd control measures
Action plan on cards to avert traffic snarls in Keralas Kozhikode during Onam
Entry of solo-driven cars to Kozhikode city likely to be restricted as part of crowd control measures
Expert committee to check structural issues of Kozhikode KSRTC terminal building
Transport Minister C.P. John, who inspected the facility on Friday, said the renovation works would be carried out based on the committees report
Kerala University to introduce double-valuation system for LLB examinations
Decision comes against the backdrop of complaints from students about significant variations in marks during revaluation and demands for greater transparency in the conduct of examinations
SNDP microfinance scam: Kerala HC directs govt. to consider sanction to prosecute Vellappally
Farm owner booked for delayed registration, concealing death of exotic animal in Erode
Verification also reveals that seven African serval cats at the farm has not been registered; one had been purchased from Hyderabad and three from Kerala, whereas three others had been born at the facility
Kerala Schools Told To Skip Vande Mataram
Only the National Anthem at state ceremonies on August 15: Reports
New initiative for scientific flood mitigation in Kerala
Kerala Flood Resilience Initiative envisaged as a model for nation; team of experts from IITs submits preliminary report
Police use water cannons to disperse DYFI protest march to Kerala CM VD Satheesan's residence
In a dramatic turn of events, police intervened to disperse DYFI activists rallying outside the residence of Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan. The uproar unfolded following the arrest of Youth Congress members linked to MDMA possession. DYFI leaders accused the Chief Minister of complicity with drug traffickers, while protesters condemned his inadequate handling of recent natural disasters, including severe floods and landslides.
Arab woman tourist found dead in Kozhikode hotel
Police sources said the exact cause of death could be ascertained only after post-mortem report was received, though it was suspected to be a case of cardiac arrest
Kerala raises caregiver assistance under Ashwasakiranam scheme to 1,000
It is a monthly aid to caregivers of chronically bedridden, disabled persons or persons with other terminal or chronic illnesses or the elderly.
Independence Day: Minister Bindu Krishna to hoist national flag in Kozhikode
A total of 22 platoons will take part in the parade, featuring personnel from the police, Excise, Fire and Rescue Services, Forest department, National Cadet Corps, Scouts and Guides, and Student Police Cadets.
HSBC India opens new branch in Thiruvananthapuram
This will be the second branch for the bank in Kerala after its branch in Kochi
Train cancellation wont deter Delhi march, says CPI
Party accuses Centre of using fear and false nationalism to suppress democratic protests
Shopping complex in Keralas Neendakara harbour left to rot
Vendors and fishers report that the abandoned structure has effectively transformed into a notorious hideout for drug pushers and anti-social elements, prompting frequent law enforcement crackdowns under Operation Toofan
Strong market intervention planned to keep Onam prices in check, says Minister
Special squads formed by the Wayanad district administration to check price hikes, hoarding, and black marketing of essential commodities detect irregularities at 12 shops
Kerala Chief Minister to present Forest Medals on Independence Day
The medals are awarded annually to personnel ranging from forest beat assistants to range forest officers for exemplary dedication to forest and wildlife protection
Free HPV vaccine for girls aged 14 in Kozhikode till August 31
The vaccine, which costs 4,000 in the private market, is being administered free of cost
Kerala Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunadh to inaugurate Onam celebrations in Kollam
The week-long celebrations will take place across multiple key locations in the district from August 25 to August 30
BJP leader seeks CBI probe into LDFs failed bid to bring Messi to Kochi
He says that UDF government should not reach a deal or understanding with the LDF and the Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan to settle the issue.
Cicily Joseph to be acting chairperson of child rights panel
Rights panel orders officials to ensure safety measures around abandoned quarries in Ernakulam
Officials told to identify owners of abandoned quarries and legally instruct them to construct protective fencing around them
Kerala CM Satheesan Slams BJP; Calls Stage Purification Against Kharge Shameful, Undemocratic
The Chief Minister noted that the sacrifices and struggles of the Dalit community played a vital role in shaping our nation and democracy: Reports
Kerala Agrees to Union Govt on PMAY Logo in Front of Project Houses
The scheme provides financial assistance to homeless persons and their families without homes, to bring down homelessness among Indian households
Think your childs PPF is a separate 1.5 lakh limit? Heres what the Kerala HC says
Among the safest investment options in India, public provident fund or PPF investment can help parents prepare for the big expenses in your children's future, be it health, marriage, education or other aspirations.
Keralam government to launch Kerala Flood Resilience Initiative using advanced technology
The News Mill
Mounting criticism in Kerala over Centres Mines and Minerals Amendment Act
Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan terms the MMDR amendment Act an assault on the federal structure envisaged by the Constitution; he alleges that the legislation formed part of a broader policy to open Indias precious mineral wealth to private monopolies
Titan World eyes 250 crore retail business from Kerala in three years
On changing consumer behaviour, Alick said around 60 per cent of watch purchases were currently made for gifting, including weddings and other occasions.
UPST Rank Holders Association in Kerala calls off Secretariat protest
Protestersagree towithdraw from stir based onGeneral Education Minister N. Samsudheens assurance that demands raised by them will be examined and those found favourable will be implemented at the earliest
Keralas Congress MLA C.R. Mahesh apologises for seat belt violation
In a Facebook post, the Karunagappally MLA says travelling without a seat belt is against the law and admits that such a mistake happened on his part
Kerala MLA Apologises For Not Wearing Seatbelt
Mahesh said he was issuing the statement after the incident was reported by the visual media. I apologise for the incident and thank the media for pointing out the mistake, the MLA added
Keralas UPSC Protest Ends After 17 Days Following Government Assurances
Thiruvananthapuram, August 14: The 17-day-long protest by the UPSC Rank Holders Association in front of the Kerala Secretariat concluded on Friday. This decision came after the Minister of General Education, N. Shamsudheen, assured the demonstrators that their primary demands would be considered, with positive decisions made wherever feasible. The conclusion followed a crucial meeting between ... Read more Keralas UPSC Protest Ends After 17 Days Following Government Assurances
Kerala Orders Probe Into Egg-Hurling at KSRTC Bus in Karnataka, Suspects Sabotage
According to a statement, the eggs hit the bus's front windshield, obstructing the driver's vision and creating a dangerous situation that could have led to an accident
BJP leader S. Suresh alleges that former CM Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) are involved in the loot' and urges the V.D. Satheesan government to hand over the case to CBI
Kerala launches My Police Station project to enhance citizen-friendly services
Speaking at State-level launch of the initiative at Peroorkada police station in Thiruvananthapuram, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan says the project seeks to make the police a 'friend' and a source of support for people,while retaining the deterrent role of the force against crime
Asianet Unveils 'OG Onam' 10-Day Festive Entertainment Celebration
Asianet will unfold a spectacular 10-day celebration, with each day dedicated to a distinct theme that captures the authentic spirit, warmth and grandeur of Keralas biggest festival.
7 states plan 1,380 new GCCs, to help create 1.2 mn jobs by 2031: CBRE
Seven states, including Karnataka and Maharashtra, have come up with dedicated policies to facilitate establishment of 1,380 Global Capability Centres (GCCs) with a target to create an additional 12 lakh jobs by 2031, according to CBRE. Real estate consultant CBRE on Friday released a report 'The Policy Advantage: Powering India's GCC Growth'. As per the report, seven states -- Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kerala, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh -- are targeting setting up of around 1,380 GCCs in their states with a cumulative target of creating about 1.18 million jobs by 2031. The speed at which state governments have moved to formalise dedicated GCC policies is unprecedented in India's commercial real estate landscape, said Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO - India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE. This reflects a broader recognition that these centres are no longer a peripheral component of India's services economy, but a central pillar that states .
34-year-old assistant professor at Kozhikode Medical College found dead in quarters
A man lost Rs 9,854 after falling for a fake UPI cashback scratch card scam. Federal Bank initially refunded the amount as required under RBI guidelines, then quietly reversed the credit weeks later, blaming the customer. A Kerala consumer commission has now ordered the bank to restore the full amount along with Rs 5,000 in compensation and Rs 3,000 in costs, ruling the bank failed to prove any negligence on the customer's part.
Keralam sanctions Rs 150 crore to clear pending paddy procurement dues
The News Mill
Kerala court sentences seven to life for 2016 murder of 19-year-old
Kerala court sentences seven to life for murder of yearold
Kerala drivers are the 4X4 Stock class champions at The Rainforest Challenge (India) 2026
Athul Thomas and Binil Babu from Kerala are champions in the 4X4 Stock class at the recently-concluded Rainforest Challenge (India) in Goa
This artist from Kerala says an aesthetically designed book cover is a work of art
Arun Gokul has designed the covers of some of Malayalam literatures bestsellers elevating them
Kerala Girl Dies by Suicide After Parents Stop Her Using From Using Phone
Chengamanad police has registered a case of unnatural death and are also investigating whether any other factors may have led to her death
Arrest of trio by Keralas Vigilance in alleged 10-lakh bribery case exposes official-middlemen nexus
VACB sources say role of more revenue officials in the case is being probed
Out On Bail In Girlfriend's Death Case, Kerala Man Dies After Poisoning Self
According to police, Vaisakhan was arrested in January this year in connection with the death of his girlfriend.
Sabarimala gold loss probe officer S. Sasidharan gets Presidents Medal for Distinguished Service
As part of Independence Day celebrations, 11 officers from Kerala Police, Fire and Rescue Services, and Prison and Correctional Services have been selected for various Presidents Police and Fire Service Medals
Upset Over Lawyer Representing His Wife In Court, Kerala Man Stabs His Father
Mohandas, whose son and daughter-in-law are lawyers, was attacked at his residence in Murikumpadam, Puthuvypeen, on Thursday evening, police said.
Vizhinjam to begin direct EXIM cargo operations from Aug 18: Shashi Tharoor
New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) Direct export-import (EXIM) cargo movement at Keralas Vizhinjam International Seaport will begin from August 18 which is a major step in the ports transition from an international transhipment hub to a gateway for Indias overseas trade, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said on Friday. Taking to the social media platform X, []
Cochin Shipyard Limited Announces 2026 Apprentice Recruitment for 139 Positions
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has announced the recruitment of 139 Graduate and Technician Apprentices for 2026. The application process opens on August 12 and closes on September 1, 2026. Only residents of Kerala who have completed their educational qualifications in specified years are eligible to apply. The selection will be based on merit, with document verification required for shortlisted candidates. This is a great opportunity for aspiring apprentices to join a prestigious organization. Read on for detailed eligibility criteria and application instructions.
Kerala govt rejigs SHO system,restores Sub-Inspector-led model at most police stations
Inspector-level SHOs retained only in strategically important police stations
Kerala sportspersons receive govt boosts with jobs
Thiruvananthapuram Four Malayali sportspersons have received the Centres recognition in the form of government jobs, with the Mumbai Income Tax The post Kerala sportspersons receive govt boosts with jobs appeared first on Bilkul Online .
Parliament Monsoon Session ends with 12 Bills passed amid disruptions
A total of 12 Bills were passed by both Houses during the session. The key legislation included the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, the Bankers' Books Evidence Bill, the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, the MSME Development (Amendment) Bill, the Tribunals Reforms Bill, the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill.
Messy make-up: cosmetics addiction takes the sheen out of childhood
A large number of schoolchildren in Kerala are taking an early morbid fascination towards cosmetics, which experts term Cosmeticorexia. Navamy Sudhish examines the mental and physical consequences of the obsessive behaviour
Parliament's Monsoon Session adjourned sine die
New Delhi, Aug 13:The Monsoon Session of Parliament which commenced on July 20 was adjourned sine die on Thursday.The session provided 19 sittings spread over a period of 25 days.During the session, 11 Bills were introduced in Lok Sabha and two Bills were introduced in Rajya Sabha. Twelve Bills were passed by Lok Sabha and 12 Bills were passed by Rajya Sabha.The total number of Bills passed by both Houses of Parliament during the session was 12. Two Bills replacing and encompassing the provisions of the Ordinances, The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, and the Income-Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, which were promulgated by the President before Monsoon Session, were considered and passed by both the Houses. Demands for Excess Grants for the year 2022-23 were taken up and the related Appropriation Bill was introduced, considered and passed by Lok Sabha on August 4 and returned by the Rajya Sabha on August 6. The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, was referred to the Joint Committee of the Houses for examination and report. In order to address, with immediacy, the concerns of students relating to public examinations, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, was introduced to amend the parent act of 2024 as a major initiative to strengthen the integrity and credibility of the public examination system. The Bill seeks to ensure speedy investigation and time-bound trial of offences under the Act; empower state governments and union territory administrations to designate Special Fast Track Courts and appoint Special Public Prosecutors; mandate completion of investigations within two months and trials within three months; enable the Central Government to constitute Special Task Forces for investigation, wherever necessary; enhance penalties for offences; and provide for a time-bound appellate mechanism before a Division Bench of the High Court. The bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament and has been assented to by the President. Some other major Bills passed by both Houses during the Session are as under: The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the Act of 1971 to bring VandeMataram, honoured as the National Song, within the ambit of Section 3 of The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 and proposes to make it an offence to intentionally prevent the singing of VandeMataram or cause disturbance to any assembly engaged in its singing, thereby extending legal protection to the National Song and making such acts punishable under the act. The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 seeks to amend the parent Act of 1969 to make provisions for delayed registration of births and deaths more stringent by prescribing a streamlined verification mechanism. The Bill provides for registration after one year and up to two years only with the approval of the competent Executive Magistrate, and after two years only with the approval of a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class. The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the Act of 2006 to provide for a national digital platform for free and voluntary registration of MSMEs and strengthen the MSME sector by improving access to finance, ensuring faster adjudication of delayed payment disputes of micro and small enterprises, promoting ease of doing business, and decriminalising offences regarding contravention of certain provisions, replacing conviction-based fines with graded penalties by including warning at the first instance. The Bankers Books Evidence Bill, 2026, seeks to expand the scope of the definition of bankers books to include all forms of records maintained by banks, whether in physical, electronic, digital, virtual, cloud-based or in any other form, thereby providing a comprehensive, technology-neutral and future-ready legal framework. It standardises certificates and recognises manual, digital and electronic authentication, while enabling electronic records to be produced physically or electronically. It further empowers the central government to extend coverage across the financial sector and defines special cause for judicial production. The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the First Schedule to the Constitution by altering the name of State of Kerala as Keralam in accordance with article 3 of the Constitution. The National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the National Co-operative Development Corporation Act, 1962, to expand the definition of foodstuffs to include any other food items as may be notified by the central government, remove the geographical restriction applicable to industrial goods, strengthen the cooperative sector by updating statutory references, removing obsolete provisions, and empowering the corporation with necessary incidental powers. These measures will facilitate the collection and sharing of credit and other relevant information with authorised institutions, while providing greater flexibility, legal clarity, and operational efficiency and enable timely, direct and responsive financial assistance for co-operative development. The Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, seeks to improve the efficiency, ensure independence, transparency, and uniformity in the qualifications, appointment, terms and conditions of service of chairpersons and members of various tribunals, the administration and functioning of the tribunals, to establish a National Tribunals Commission and to make consequential amendments in related enactments and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 seeks to amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, to provide certainty, stability and predictability in the fiscal regime in the mineral sector, thereby giving impetus to national economic growth which would facilitate the aims of Atmanirbhar Bharat and ultimately attaining the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. The productivity of Lok Sabha was approximately 19 percent and that of Rajya Sabha was approximately 39 percent.
Centre steps in with jobs, Kerala govt boosts by awarding cash rewards for sporting personalities
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 14 (IANS) Four Malayali sportspersons have received the Centres recognition in the form of government jobs, with the Mumbai Income Tax Department appointing them under the sports quota, while Kerala steps up its financial rewards for sporting excellence. Sandra Mol Sabu, Jilna M.V., Shyam Prasad U. and Alphonsia M. received their appointment orders []
Ernakulam-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express to get 16 coaches
Kerala High Court denies bail to accused in organ trafficking
Organ trafficking exploits vulnerable populations, fuels transnational crime networks, and undermines public trust in legitimate medical systems, says court
Kerala to oppose Centre's Mines and Minerals Act amendments, calls it 'encroachment' on states
Kerala will oppose the Centre's mining law amendments which affect state revenue. The state argues curbs on tax powers erode constitutional authority and cause losses. Chief Minister VD Satheesan announced formal protest and legal remedies exploration. Parliament passed the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, 2026 recently. This amendment invalidates state levies not yet deposited or recovered.
SC seeks CCI response in Kerala State Beverages Corp case
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Competition Commission of India and others. This follows an appeal by the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies against KSBC. The industry body alleges unfair trade practices and discrimination in the liquor market. KSBC is accused of unilaterally fixing prices and levying additional charges. The court will hear the matter again on September 23.
Ministerial team to visit Aralam farm to review human-wildlife conflict mitigation measures
Tahsildar held on bribery charge in Kochi
Kochi Corporation to recommend Vigilance probe into G Memorial, P&T complex construction
Alleged construction lapses blamed for poor condition of two facilities; UDF councillors raise corruption allegations over G Memorial
Punjabi Traveller Amazed By Kasaragod Railway Station Cleanliness In Kerala, Video Viral
Punjabi traveller was highly impressed by the exceptional cleanliness at Kasaragod railway station in Kerala.
Mosquitoes, stray dogs and waste trigger heated exchanges in Kochi Corporation Council
Opposition cites failure of 50-day action plan and Animal Birth Control programme; UDF questions credibility of data on soaring dengue cases; 24-crore annual burden of waste management systems comes under scrutiny
BJP says programmes will be held across State to shape strong public protests against insulting Vande Mataram and against taking positions that aid anti-national elements
Shops in Kadavanthra fined 6,500 in food safety drive
Violations include the use of banned food colouring and stale milk, as well as the absence of health cards and drinking water test reports
Caste-based discrimination against Mallikarjun Kharge condemnable: Kerala Chief Minister Satheesan
He says the incident at Haldwani in Uttarakhand was a blatant violation of democratic values and the right to equality guaranteed by the Constitution
Committee grants clearance after considering a report submitted by NHAI that addressed concerns regarding geological and safety aspects of revised alignment; project will be completed at a revised estimated cost of around 12,595 crore
CPI(M)-Backed Islamic Bank Depositors Face Financial Troubles, Kerala CM Promises Investigation
Kannur, August 13: Depositors of a Sharia-compliant cooperative society initiated by CPI(M) leaders in Kannur are facing financial difficulties. Complaints have emerged that depositors are unable to withdraw their funds. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has assured that these grievances will be investigated. The situation took a new turn when Nasar, one of the depositors who ... Read more CPI(M)-Backed Islamic Bank Depositors Face Financial Troubles, Kerala CM Promises Investigation
MMDR Bill leaves states' minor mineral rights intact: Mines Minister Reddy
Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy said the MMDR Bill applies only to major minerals and does not affect states' powers over minor minerals, as Kerala warned of legal action.
Kerala Water Authority to hand over unused Kaloor reservoir to SUEZ
40-lakh-litre tank could supplement distribution network served by Thammanam tank; only six of 13 overhead storage reservoirs in Kochi are operational; KWA explores using unused tanks to strengthen distribution and address tail-end shortages
Kerala HC extends stay on PCB order to close down poultry-waste rendering unit in Keralas Kozhikode
The court was considering a report on a site inspection jointly conducted by the environmental engineer from the PCB and the District Collector
