Aikya Keralam Thampuran

Kerala Varma Thampuran (1870 – July 1948) popularly known as Aikya Keralam Thampuran or Kerala Varma VII was the Maharaja (king) of Cochin who ruled between 1946 and 1949. He mooted the idea of a unified Kerala state in India for the Malayalam speaking population and stood for the merging of British Malabar, Cochin and Travancore. Therefore, he was given the sobriquet Ikyakeralam Thampuran (King who united Kerala). He died in July 1948 (1123 Midhunam 25th according to the Malayalam calendar). He was also the brain behind the formation of Sree Kerala Varma College at Thrissur, named after him.

Biography

Born in 1870, he ruled the Kingdom of Cochin from 1946.^[1]

Kerala Varma, the Maharaja of Cochin, played a pivotal role in the unification of Kerala and the accession of the Kingdom of Cochin to the Indian Union.^[2] In April 1947, he inaugurated the Aikya Kerala Convention held in Thrissur under the chairmanship of K. Kelappan.^[3] The convention passed a resolution for the formation of a 'United Kerala'.^[3] He was later known as the 'Aikya Keralam Thampuran' for his stand for the amalgamation of Malabar District, Cochin and Travancore to form a unified Kerala state.

He died in July 1948.^[1]

Regnal titles
Preceded by Ravi Varma V	Maharaja of Cochin 1946–1949	Succeeded by Rama Varma XVIII

References

^ ^a ^b "ഐക്യ കേരളം തമ്പുരാൻ". ManoramaOnline (in Malayalam). Retrieved 31 May 2022.
^ Pradeep, K. (15 August 2019). "How the Cochin Maharaja, Aikya Keralam Thampuran played a pivotal role in unification of Kerala and of Cochin State's accession to the Indian Union". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
^ ^a ^b "50 events that cannot be erased from the history of Kerala". Mathrubhumi (in Malayalam). Retrieved 30 May 2022.

The Hindu "New role for Kalikota palace", 21 August 2010.
The Hindu "Due recognition sought for kochi royal family", 22 August 2010.
Express News Service Royal memories of dawn of freedom^{[permanent dead link]}, 22 August 2010

[manorama-1] "ഐക്യ കേരളം തമ്പുരാൻ". ManoramaOnline (in Malayalam). Retrieved 31 May 2022.

[2] Pradeep, K. (15 August 2019). "How the Cochin Maharaja, Aikya Keralam Thampuran played a pivotal role in unification of Kerala and of Cochin State's accession to the Indian Union". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 31 May 2022.

[mathrubhumi-3] "50 events that cannot be erased from the history of Kerala". Mathrubhumi (in Malayalam). Retrieved 30 May 2022.

[1]

[2]

[3]