Adithyan

There are Sanghi accounts from NI, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu constantly mocking Kerala’s so-called exceptionalism, reducing Malayalis to toilet cleaners in the Middle East and low-wage migrants in Bangalore. I have a good network of friends and professional connections across all these regions. This isn’t about them. This is for the Sanghi bigots who seem particularly offended by the idea of Kerala. First, the Gulf migration story. Yes, the early waves of Malayali migration were largely low and semi-skilled workers. But that picture has changed considerably over the decades. Kerala’s migration has diversified into healthcare, engineering, IT, technical professions, business and education. The Kerala Migration Survey 2023 recorded nearly 2.5 lakh student emigrants, 11% of all emigrants. Among female emigrants, more than 70% had degree level education. Second, the Malayali presence in Indian metros. Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi aren’t destinations for low-wage labour migration. They are also major destinations for Malayali students, IT professionals, doctors, managers, entrepreneurs and business owners. Third, consider international mobility. According to MEA data, Kerala had nearly 99 lakh valid passports issued up to 2023. That’s marginally more than Maharashtra, despite Kerala having roughly a third of its population. This doesn’t mean every passport holder has migrated or works in a professional job. But it tells you something about the extraordinary international mobility of Malayalis. And here’s something I find particularly interesting about our society. Historically, we’ve been a fairly self-critical community. We look at Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and admire it and appreciate it. We criticise our own system and aspire to build something like it. But we don’t have to be jealous of your progress to appreciate it. Nor do we have to abandon our identity to integrate with the world. That’s perhaps one of Kerala’s most underrated strengths; being globally connected while remaining rooted in our identity. The Kerala exceptionalism you see on social media is often a reaction to Sanghis, rather than an assertion that we have nothing left to learn or improve.