The Archbishop of Thrissur has asked Kerala’s chief minister to reinstate the historic name of a century-old school after it was retitled following a government takeover. The dispute, unfolding now in Velur, raises questions about local heritage and how public authorities handle institutions with religious roots.
The school at the center of the controversy was founded in 1923 with financial support from Catholic parishioners in the area and operated for decades under church management as an aided institution. In 2023 the institution was transferred to state control, and the previous administration renamed it as a generic government primary school.
Mar Andrews Thazhath, Archbishop of Thrissur, has formally asked Chief Minister V D Satheesan to reverse that change and restore the original name, Puliyannur St Thomas UP School. The archbishop argues the name is part of the school’s identity and is remembered fondly by former students, teachers and residents across different communities.
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Velur panchayat president Swapna Ramachandran has also written to the chief minister, saying the panchayat backed a unanimous request to keep “St Thomas” in the school’s name. The appeal reflects coordinated local pressure rather than an isolated clerical objection.
- Who is involved: Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath, Velur panchayat officials, alumni and area residents.
- What changed: School transferred to government control in 2023 and renamed “Govt UP School.”
- What’s requested: Restoration of the historic name Puliyannur St Thomas UP School.
- Why it matters: The name carries historical and community significance for people of multiple faiths and backgrounds in the locality.
Renaming state‑run schools after transfer is not uncommon, often intended to standardize records or emphasize secular status. But such decisions can also reopen debates about memory, local heritage and the symbolic presence of religious communities in public life.
Officials in Thirssur and at the state education department have not yet issued a public response. The chief minister’s office will now weigh the panchayat’s request alongside administrative norms that govern school names after government acquisition.
For residents and former pupils, the issue is about more than signage: it touches on how shared history is recognized by civic authorities. A decision to restore the name would be seen locally as an affirmation of that history; maintaining the new title may lead to further local appeals or negotiations.
As the matter awaits a formal reply from V D Satheesan, the case highlights how routine administrative actions can quickly become matters of community sentiment and cultural memory in Kerala’s towns.
