The first generation Keralites who came to Gujarat were drawn primarily from the ranks of secretarial staff and mill workers while only a handful were from the executive class.

Over the next 35 years, Ahmedabad - the Manchester of India - began slipping ground on the textile front in the face of  an onslaught from the synthetic garments sector. In 1962, Bombay was carved up into the two states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

This led to a significant realignment in the blanket job description  of the Malayalee, per se, with quite a few taking up jobs both in the government and the private sector - the latter, predominantly downstream petrochemicals industries. This is not to forget a handful who started their own enterprises.  

Meanwhile, it was collectively decided by a few pioneering souls who were committed to their origin, firmly rooted in the ethos and mores of Kerala .It was thus decided that the vital umbilical cord  linking the settlers to their state of origin  be kept intact at least by virtue of annual get-togethers.  

It was two years prior to the Indian Independence, in 1945 to be precise, that the Malayalees in Gujarat decided to float an association to keep alive its ethnic identity, free of any religious, caste or political affiliations. The Kerala Samajam was borne on 14th January,1945.  

The present community of Malayalees settled in Gujarat include the humble automobile tyre retreaders who depend for their daily bread on the petrol pumps across the state and the tea vendors having their own kiosks on the one side to top businessmen, academics, bureaucrats and scientists on the other end of the spectrum. This truly representative mix has now given way to the second generation settlers, many who are not aware of the role played by many a stalwart, into kickstarting and making the Kerala Samajam, what it is today.  

We dedicate this website to the great souls, the  founder member of Samajam Shri P.K.Pillai,first Organised Central Committee President Shri. C.V.Raman Nair, General Secretary Shri. U R Menon, Treasurer Shree Mathai Master and many others, without whose vision, this enterprise would not have seen the light of the day, in its present form.