Jenifer Rajkumar Proposes Malayalee Heritage Month In New York

India-West News Desk

NEW YORK, NY – New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, the first Indian American elected to the state legislature, introduced a resolution on May 22 to designate May 2025 as Malayalee Heritage Month. The proposal aims to formally recognize the contributions of the Malayali community, originally from Kerala to the fabric of New York’s civic and cultural life.

According to the 2012 U.S. Census, over 640,000 people of Malayalam heritage live in the United States, with significant populations in Rockland County, New York, and Bergen County, New Jersey.

Rajkumar spotlighted the achievements of Malayali Americans as part of the broader Asian and Asian-Pacific Islander communities. She underscored their diverse faith backgrounds—including Christian, Hindu, and others—and their common commitment to service and leadership. “Kerala is often referred to as God’s own country,” she noted, “and its people in New York carry forward that ethos in their work as doctors, spiritual leaders, teachers, entrepreneurs, and community advocates.”

To mark the occasion, Rajkumar welcomed a delegation of Malayali leaders to the Assembly floor. Among those honored were Bishop John C. Itty, Hindu guru Dileepkumar Thankappan, and members of the Pioneer Club of Keralites—one of New York’s oldest Malayali organizations.

If adopted, Malayalee Heritage Month would be celebrated annually through public events, educational programming, and cultural showcases designed to highlight Kerala’s rich traditions and the contributions of Malayalis in New York.