Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 21 (IANS) Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday declared that Kerala will move forward on its own strength, shedding what he termed the “small Kerala” mindset and embracing the vision of a “Great Kerala”.

He said this while inaugurating the fifth International congress on Kerala studies, here in Thiruvananthapuram.

The two-day congress is intended to serve as a roadmap for the State’s next phase of development.

The Chief Minister described the forum as a platform for constructive dialogue that would guide Kerala’s developmental leap in the coming years.

Kerala, he said, will not wait for anyone’s kindness but will chart its own path through self-reliance, modernisation and inclusive growth.

Emphasising the need for a shift in mindset, he called for collective confidence in the State’s capabilities, arguing that a forward-looking vision is essential to navigate emerging economic and social challenges.

Vijayan underscored the historic role of the Communist movement, rooted in the social foundations laid by the renaissance, in shaping Kerala’s progressive trajectory.

At every phase, he said, the movement had guided society by accepting what needed to be accepted, renewing what required renewal, and discarding what had become outdated.

This adaptive approach, he suggested, remains critical as Kerala prepares for a new development cycle.

The Congress, he noted, would bring together researchers, planners and practitioners to chart a comprehensive future agenda.

Building a ‘New Kerala’ is not the responsibility of a single political party, he said, but a shared mission requiring broad-based collaboration.

He also stressed the importance of countering misinformation and ensuring that the benefits of development reach all sections of society.

The Kerala Studies congress was originally envisioned by legendary E. M. S. Namboodiripad and has evolved into a recurring exercise in long-term policy reflection.

Few, if any, political formations globally undertake such systematic, multi-dimensional studies on a State’s future and translate them into welfare and development programmes.

By linking academic research with people’s concerns, the congress seeks to bridge the gap between scholarship and society, a model the Chief Minister said will be central to Kerala’s march towards becoming a “Great Kerala”.

–IANS

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