About Us

Our Founder

Sri Kerala Varma XV (also known as Aikya Keralam Thampuran)

The idea of starting a new college at Thrissur originated from a committee of prominent citizens of Thrissur, in response to strong public demand. India was on the cusp on Independence and naturally anxieties were hight regarding the state of education in a newly independent country. The existing colleges in the city were not adequate to meet the growing requirements of the time and the call for a new institution to welcome the growing numbers was at an all time high.

The committee, armed with the moral support of the public and a few promises of financial backing approached the then Maharaja of Cochin, Sri Kerala Varma XV (also known as Aikya Keralam Thampuran)  to enlist his support to the venture. His Highness graciously allowed for the free use of his Merry Lodge Palace and its grounds for the new college. A free grant of one lakh rupees from the Devaswom  Funds together with a loan of four lakhs towards capital expenses (which was later modified as free grant), and a free grant of two hundred and fifty candies of timber were also sanctioned by His Highness.

The college was thus named SREE KERALA VARMA COLLEGE after the Maharaja, in remembrance of of his grand gesture. The college was opened to students on 11 August 1947 by the Maharaja himself. Kavithilakan Prof. P. Sankaran Nambiar was the first principal of the college.  Miss V.K. Malathy was the first student of the college who later, went on to become a faculty in the Department of English.

The Merry Lodge Palace

The Merry Lodge Palace: Photo Courtesy Prof. Sashikumar, Retd Faculty, Department of Zoology

One of the main buildings in the campus is the Merry Lodge Palace. It was the palace and summer resort of the abdicated Maharaja of Cochin Rama Varma XV, uncle of Aikya Keralam Thampuran, Sree Kerala Varma

The palace was the venue of the meeting between Mahatma Gandhi and Rama Varma XV in 1925. The building presently houses the Departments of Politics, English and Hindi in addition to the offices of the NCC, NCC as well as the office of the College Students Union.

Passage of Time

Intermediate and B.A. Juniour courses were begun in 1947.  In 1948, B.Com. and B.A. (Music) courses were started.  A course in Music was to be started for the first time in Kerala in this college.  But in 1952-53, the course in music was terminated.  Courses in Science were started in 1953-54.  The first post graduate courses commenced in 1965.  M.A. in English and M.A. in Economics were the first P.G. courses in this college. Meanwhile, the management of the college was undergoing various stages of transition.  Though the committee got the Authority of Maharajah of Cochin as “Sree Kerala Varma College Senatus” in 1947, the management of the college was handed over to the Devaswom Department on 08-11-1948.  With the integration of the Tranvancore and Cochin States on 01-07-1949, Cochin Devaswom Board was placed under a Board and control of the College was rested with the Board.
After the formation of Kerala State in 1956, the College got affiliated to the Kerala University. Subsequent to the establishment of University of Calicut on 23-07-1968, the College became affiliated to it.

The college celebrated its Silver Jubilee in the Year 1972-73 and the Golden Jubilee in the year 1997-98.  2007-08 was the Diamond Jubilee year of the College.

Now, the College is leading educational institution in our state.  There are 16 degree courses and 8 post graduate courses.

In 2009 January, the college was awarded the highest grade ‘A’ by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

The Second NAAC accreditation process conducted in March 2018 awarded with a score of 2.81 and with B++ grade.  Since then, we are engaged in an ongoing journey of continuous measurable improvements, championed by empowered teachers.