Sree Kerala Varma College

Sree Kerala Varma College

ശ്രീ കേരള വർമ്മ കോളേജ്
Sree Kerala Varma College
Other name	SKVC, Royals
Motto	अस्तु वृत्तं शुभं सदा
Motto in English	Pure be my Life Forever
Type	Government Aided College
Established	11 August 1947;78 years ago (1947-08-11)
Founder	Aikya Keralam Thampuran
Academic affiliations	University of Calicut University Grants Commission
Officer in charge	K. Jayanarayanan
Principal	Prof. Sobha T D
Academic staff	110
Students	2570
Undergraduates	2220
Postgraduates	300
Doctoral students	50
Location	Thrissur, Kerala , India 10°32′N76°11′E / 10.53°N 76.19°E / 10.53; 76.19
Campus	Urban
Sporting affiliations	University of Calicut
Website	www.keralavarma.ac.in

Sree Kerala Varma College is a government-aided higher education institution located in Kanattukara, Thrissur, Kerala, India. Established in August 1947, the college was founded by Aikya Keralam Thampuran, the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Cochin. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} The Cochin Devaswom Board currently manages the institution and operates under the affiliation of the University of Calicut. ^[5]

History

According to the college’s official history, a committee of citizens in Thrissur, including Cheloor Mana Itti Ravi Namboodiri (a member of the first Legislative Assembly of the Kingdom of Cochin), proposed a new college to the Maharaja of Cochin, Aikya Keralam Thampuran, who granted the use of Merry Lodge Palace and agreed to name the institution Sree Kerala Varma College. ^[6]

The college website records that the Maharaja provided financial support, including a grant of ₹1 lakh and a loan of ₹4 lakhs for capital expenditure, as well as 250 candies of timber for construction. ^[7] The college opened on 11 August 1947; the first student admitted was V. K. Malathy, who later joined the English Department faculty, and Kavithilakan Prof. P. Sankaran Nambiar served as the first principal. ^[8]

Initially, the college offered Intermediate and B.A. Junior courses; in 1948, B.Com. and B.A. (Music) were introduced, with the music course noted as the first of its kind in Kerala before being discontinued in 1952–53. ^[9] Science courses began in 1953–54, and in 1965 the college introduced two postgraduate programmes: M.A. in English and M.A. in Economics. ^[10]

Sree Kerala Varma College is managed by the Cochin Devaswom Board and is affiliated with the University of Calicut; the campus is approximately 3 kilometres from the centre of Thrissur. ^{[11] [12]}

Academics

Departments

Sree Kerala Varma College offers undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG), and research programs across various disciplines.

The departments include Botany (UG), Chemistry (UG, PG), Computer Applications (UG), Commerce (UG, PG), Economics (UG, PG), English (UG, PG, Research), Hindi (UG), History (UG), Malayalam (UG, PG, Research), Mathematics (UG, PG), Philosophy (UG), Physical Education, Physics (UG, PG, Research), Political Science (UG, PG, Research), Sanskrit (UG, PG), Statistics (UG), and Zoology (UG, PG).

The college is affiliated with the University of Calicut and follows its curriculum guidelines.

Facilities

Library

The college library is housed in a two‑storey building next to the Administrative Block; it holds more than 70,000 books and subscribes to online and print periodicals and magazines, with access to back volumes via INFLIBNET and NLIST, an online public access catalogue (OPAC), and reprography services offered through the Cooperative Store adjacent to the library building.

Hostel

The college provides hostel accommodation for male and female students, subject to availability; the women’s hostel on campus accommodates about 220 students, and the men’s hostel near the N. D. Subramanian Stadium complex accommodates about 120 students, with a gym facility available to residents. ^[13]

Sports

The Prof. N. D. Subramanian Stadium on campus offers facilities for various sports, including cricket, basketball, and football; the college also hosts four sports hostels sanctioned by the Kerala Sports Council, accommodating around fifty athletes specializing in basketball, weightlifting, judo, and swimming, and the gymnasium in the Main Block is equipped for training, exercise, and bodybuilding. ^[14]

Student life

Students at Sree Kerala Varma College participate in a range of extracurricular, sports, and cultural activities. ^[15]

Extracurricular activities

• National Cadet Corps (NCC): The college hosts an NCC unit offering leadership development, discipline, and community service opportunities. ^[16]
• National Service Scheme (NSS): Through NSS, students engage in social service initiatives that foster responsibility and community involvement. ^[17]
• Clubs and associations: The college supports clubs including the Nature Club and Film Club, enabling students to pursue varied interests. ^[18]

Sports

Students participate in football, cricket, basketball, handball, kabaddi, swimming, and boxing; facilities and coaching are provided to support athletic development. ^[19]

Festivals and events

• College Day: Celebrated near the end of the academic year, featuring cultural performances, awards, and community activities. ^[20]
• Chemistry festival Oxia 2025: Department event scheduled for January 2025, highlighting student activities in chemistry. ^[21]
• Leyenda political carnival: Organized by the Department of Political Science to promote political awareness and discussion. ^[22]
• ASPERA: An inter‑collegiate IT festival showcasing student projects and skills. ^[23]
• Saptati celebrations: In August 2017, the college commemorated its 70th anniversary with a three‑day programme of cultural and academic activities. ^[24]

Notable Alumni

• Maya S ^[25]

Notable Faculties

• C. R. Rajagopalan, folklore researcher and writer. ^[26]

Controversies

Sree Kerala Varma College has been involved in several controversies over the years, primarily related to student politics and campus activities.

Student union election disputes

In November 2023, the student union election at the college became contested. KSU candidate Sreekuttan Sivadasan was initially declared winner by a narrow margin, but after an SFI request for a recount the result was reversed in favour of the SFI candidate, prompting KSU allegations of malpractice and court action. The Kerala High Court noted discrepancies—four votes treated as valid in the original count were marked invalid during the recount—raised concerns about procedure, and ordered a fresh recount. ^{[27] [28] [29]}

Subsequently, when the principal halted the recount without a written request, protests ensued, and the involvement of the Cochin Devaswom Board’s president drew further scrutiny as students pressed for transparency and adherence to university rules. ^[30]

Controversial posters and campus activities

In June 2019, a poster depicting Ayyappan in a distorted manner appeared on campus and prompted protests from several political groups; the SFI leadership, in whose name the poster was displayed, said it was an attempt by rivals to malign the organisation and removed it upon discovery. ^[31]

In October 2021, posters with provocative language appeared on campus and drew public criticism; attributed to the SFI, they prompted debate about the nature of student activism and the content promoted on campus. ^[32]

See also

• St. Thomas College, Thrissur
• Government Law College, Thrissur
• Sri C. Achutha Menon Government College, Thrissur
• Government Engineering College, Thrissur
• Sree Krishna College, Guruvayur

References

1. "Kerala Verma College". Mathrubhumi.com. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
2. "Sree Kerala Varma leads in D-zone fete". The Hindu. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
3. "Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur". Indcareer. 4 January 2008. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
4. "The tricky winger of Sree Kerala Varma". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
5. "Sree Kerala Varma College". old.keralavarma.ac.in. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
6. "History – Sree Kerala Varma College". Sree Kerala Varma College. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
7. "History – Sree Kerala Varma College". Sree Kerala Varma College. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
8. "History". Sree Kerala Varma College (archival site). Retrieved 29 August 2025.
9. "History". Sree Kerala Varma College (archival site). Retrieved 29 August 2025.
10. "History". Sree Kerala Varma College (archival site). Retrieved 29 August 2025.
11. "Profile of the College". Sree Kerala Varma College. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
12. "Educational institutions under the Cochin Devaswom Board". Cochin Devaswom Board. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
13. Collegedunia
14. Kerala Varma College
15. See sources cited in section.
16. Collegedunia
17. Collegedunia
18. Collegedunia
19. Shiksha
20. Sree Kerala Varma College
21. Sree Kerala Varma College
22. The Campus Life Online
23. Instagram
24. Sree Kerala Varma College
25. "Maya S | Sree Kerala Varma College". old.keralavarma.ac.in. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
26. "പ്രശസ്ത ഫോക്ക് ലോറിസ്റ്റ് സി.ആർ.രാജഗോപാലൻ അന്തരിച്ചു". Kairali News | Kairali News Live. 31 January 2022.
27. "High Court orders recounting in Thrissur Kerala Varma College". Kerala Kaumudi. 17 November 2023.
28. "Kerala Varma College election row: HC annuls SFI victory, orders fresh counting". The New Indian Express. 28 November 2023.
29. "Recounting at Kerala Varma College: KSU demands fair deal". The Times of India. 24 November 2023.
30. "Backlash against principal over suspension of recount at Sree Kerala Varma College". The Hindu. 22 November 2023.
31. "SFI poster controversy in Kerala". Manorama Online. 18 June 2019.
32. "Obscene posters in Kerala college spark nationalism debate". The New Indian Express. 15 October 2021.