1957 AUG 17
Alappuzha district formed. The district was formed by bifurcating the erstwhile Kollam and Kottayam district. The Anglican name, Alleppey, was changed as Alappuzhs in 1990. Alappuzha has found a place in the history even from the Sangam period. Alappuzha had trade relations with Greece and Rome in middle ages. Raja Kesava Das, one of the ablest Diwan of erstwhile Travancore kingdom developed Alappuzha into a major port town.
  1963 AUG 09
Wildlife sanctuary at Parambikulam established. This sanctuary is in the Palakkad district of Kerala. The sanctuary was dedicated to the nation in 1973. In the year 2010, a part of the sanctuary has been declared as Tiger Reserve.
 
     
1964 AUG 01
P.T.Chacko passed away. P.T.Chacko was a prominent politician and Home Minister of Kerala from 1960 to 1964. He was also a member of Travancore Legislative Assembly. During his tenure as Home Minister, certain allegations were raised against him and he had to resign from the post. Eventually, this incident paved way for the formation of Kerala Congress on 9th August 1964 ie., immediately after his death.
  1967 AUG 08
Sabarigiri project inaugurated by Sri.V.V.Giri, Vice President of India. Sabarigiri project is the second largest hydro-electric project of Kerala.

(Image: Pampa-Kakki Dam of Sabarigiri project)

     
 
     
1970 AUG 01
Achutha Menon’s cabinet resigned and recommended for President’s rule to get the majority through an election (President’s rule came into force on August 04, 1970).
  1975 AUG 11
G.V.Raja Sports School started functioning at Thiruvananthapuram. The school was given the name to commemorate Col.Goda Varama Raja (GV Raja) who gave substantial contributions to the sports field. He was also the founder President of the Kerala Sports Council.
     
 
     

1976 AUG 12
Chithranjali Film Studio under Kerala State Film Development Corporation inaugurated. The studio is located in a panoramic hilltop of Thiruvallam in Thiruvananthapuram town. Spread over in 75 acres of land, the studio has the second largest indoor floor in Asia. It has four out-door film units, film processing laboratory, dubbing theatre and preview theatre.

(Image: Administrative block of Chithranjali Studio)

 

1976 AUG 13
Broad-gauge rail line between Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam inaugurated by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. With the conversion of the existing metre gauge rail into broad gauge, Thiruvananthapurm has been connected with almost all major cities of India and the first major railway station in the Kanyakumari-Jammu Tawi rail line.

(Image: Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station)

     
 
     
1982 AUG 02
S.K.Pottakkad passed away. S. K. Pottekkatt was a famous Malayalam writer. He authored nearly sixty books which include ten novels, twenty-four collections of short stories, three anthologies of poems, eighteen travelogues, four plays, a collection of essays and a couple of books based on personal reminiscences. He won Janapeeth award in 1980.
 

1982 AUG 15
Liquor tragedy at Vypeen in Ernakulam district. 77 persons killed. The tragedy blinded 63; crippled 15 and about 650 families were thrown to poverty

(Image: A candlelight memorial ceremony held at Goshree junction on Vypeen island to remember the hooch tragedy and pay homage to the victims).

     
 
     
1986 AUG 10
K.C.George passed away. K.C.George was a senior communist leader and the Minister for Food and Forests in the first Communist government of Kerala (1957-1959). He also served as a member of Rajya Sabha during 1952 – 1954.
 

1987 AUG 15
Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) organized Human Chain from Thiruvananthapuram to Kanhangad. More than 8 lakhs people participated in the 673 km long chain. This was the first human chain in India. The programme was organized for promoting communal harmony.

(Image: Cover page of Yuvadhara, magazine of DYFI depicting photos of Human Chain)

     
 
     
1989 AUG 18
P.T.Usha selected as the Best Athlete in Asia by Armature Athletic Federation. P.T.Usha has been associated with athletics since 1979. She is considered asoneof the greatest athletes of India and fondly called Payyoli Express. Currently she runs the Usha School of Athletics at Koyilandi in Kozhikode district. She won several awards including Padma Sri, Arjuna Award, Greatest Woman Athlete, World Trophy for best Athlete, Kerala Sports Journalist Award and thirty international awards apart from the Best Athlete in Asia. )
  1991 AUG 16
C. Achutha Menon passed away. Achutha Menon was a stalwart of freedom movement, prominent leader of Communist Party of India, renowned ruler, eminent economist, noted writer and a leader with spotless clean public life. He was the first Chief Minister of Kerala who could complete the tenure of office. He was in office for about seven years (1970-1977). He participated in freedom struggle, temple entry struggle etc. In the wake of Quit India movement, he was imprisoned for more than a year. He went underground for more than three years when the Government prohibited the functioning of Communist Party. He was elected to the Travancore State Legislature in 1952. He was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1957, 1960, 1969 and 1970. He was the Minister of Finance and Agriculture in the first communist ministry led by E.M.S. Namboodirippad in the year 1957. In 1968 he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. He resigned his membership in the Parliament in 1969 to become the Chief Minister of Kerala. He implemented several basic reform measures in the State such as Land Reform Act; take over of private forest without compensation, law on agriculture labour, one lakh housing scheme, establishment of a number of scientific and research institutions. Even his opponents admit that he was the best Chief Minister that Kerala has ever seen.  
     
 
     
1992 AUG 19
K.R.Narayanan elected as the 9th Vice-President of India. Narayanan began his official career as a member of IFS. He served as Ambassador to Japan, United Kingdom, Thailand, Turkey, People's Republic of China and United States of America and was referred to as the best diplomat. Later he was elected to the Lok Sabha for three consecutive elections and served as Minister for State in the Union Cabinet. In 1997 he was elecgted as the President of India. He was the first Malayali to become the Vice-President and President.
  1993 AUG 03
Asianet, the TV channel of Kerala, started functioning. Asianet is the first private TV Channel in Malayalam and the second to broadcast in the language. The channel is providing various entertainment programmes and news in Malayalam.
     
 
     
1997 AUG 04
Swamy Chinmayananda attained Samadhi. Chinmayananda (birth name Balakrishna Menon) was one of the famous spiritual leader and teacher who spread the message of Vedantha. The organization formed by him, He formed the Chinmaya Mission in 1953 has more than 300 centres in India and abroad.
  1997 AUG 17
Government of Kerala decided to introduce Malayalam study as a compulsory subject in English Medium Schools in the state. One of the 22 Scheduled languages of India and spoken by more than 3 crores of people of Kerala, Malayalam was recently declared as a classical language by the Government of India.
     
 
     
1997 AUG 26
Lower Periyar Hydro Electric Project inaugurated. Lower Periyar Hydroelectric Power Plant India is located in Idukki District, Kerala, India. This hydro power plant has a capacity of 180 MW.
  1998 AUG 17
Kerala Chalachithra Academy started functioning. The main objectives of the Academy are to help Government in the formulation of policies connected with film and television related activities, to set up a film and video archive, to set up a Directorate of Film Festivals, to manage and distribute State Award for films and video programmes, to set up an Audio Visual Library for the public, to function as a link between the Government and film industry, to evolve a financial mechanism to support films having aesthetic and social importance, to extend promotional support to makers of good films and TV/Video programmes, etc.
     
 
     
1999 AUG 11
Lok Sabha Elections held in Kerala (Give details). Election recorded a pollign of 70.19 percent. United Democratic Front led by Indian National Congress won 11 seats and Left Democratic Front led by Communist Party of India (Marxist( won 09 seats.
  2000 AUG 26
Balan K.Nair expired. Balan K.Nair was a veteran film actor. He acted in more than 300 films and won the Kerala State Film Award for second best actor and National Film Award for Best Actor.
     
   
     
2002 AUG 08
Kerala has been declared as the first baby friendly state in the world. Kerala was selected for this rare honour under the WHO-UNICEF sponsored programmed launched in 1992 for promoting, protecting and supporting breast feeding.
  2003 AUG 03
Chambravattom, a village in Thripangode Panchayat of Malappuram district has been selected as the first 100 per cent computer literate village in India. At least one member of every family in the village had completed basic computer literacy training.
     
     

2003 AUG 09
Famous Kerala athlete K.M. Beenamol shared Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award with Anjali Bhagwat. Anju B. George (Athletics) and I.M. Vijayan (Soccur) received Arjuna Award.

(Image: Beenamol receiving award, Anju Boby George and IM Vijayan)

     
 
     
2004 AUG 29
A.K.Antony (Arakkaparambil Kurian Antony) resigned from the post of Chief Minister of Kerala. He was the Chief Minister of Kerala for three tenures (during 1977-78, 1995-96, and 2001-2004). When he became Chief Minister in 1977, he was the youngest among the Chief Ministers of the State. Honesty, simplicity, sincerity, humble behaviour, courageous idealism are the hallmarks of Antony. He was the General Secretary of Youth Congress, Secretary of KPCC, Convener of the United Democratic Front Liaison Committee. Antony was a member of Rajya Sabha. Earlier he was the member of the House from 1985 to 91 and 1991 to 1995 and was the Minister for Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution in the Narasimha Rao’s Government. He was the leader of Opposition of the Kerala Legislative Assembly during 1997 to 2001. He became the Defense Minister of India on November 2006.
  2004 AUG 31
Oommen Chandy sworn in as the 19th Chief Minister of Kerala. He was the president of KSU, President of the State Youth Congress in 1970, member A.I.C.C; Minister for Labour from 1977 to 1978; Minister for Home from 1981 to 1982; Minister for Finance from 1991 to1994. He was the Convenor of the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) from 2001 to 2004. When Chief Minister A.K. Antony resigned on 29th August, 2004 , Ommen Chandy sworn in as the Chief Minister of Kerala. In the general elections to the state legislature held in 2006, the UDF led by Oommen Chandy lost majority and he was elected as the Leader of Opposition. In 2011, the UDF led by the Indian National Congress won a narrow majority and Ommen Chandy was elected as the 21st Chief Minister of Kerala. He had sworn in as the Chief Minister on 18 May 2011.
     
 
     
2006 AUG 15
K.Chandrasekharan (former Miniser) passed away. Chandrasekharan was the Minister for Law & Revenue from February 1960 to September 1962 and theMinister for Education & Law from March 1987 to June 1991. In the public life, he has been a member of the Kerala Sports Council, Rubber Board, Bar Association of India and Supreme Court Advocates Association. He has also been a leader of Praja Socialist Party, later amalgamated with Samyuktha Socialist Party and Janatha Dal parties.
 

2007 AUG 14
Government decided to make a study report and plan for the construction of a new dam at Mullaperiyar. Mullaperiyar, an aged Dam was declared as an endangered one by the Government of Kerala and decided to construct a new dam in lieu of the existing one. Government of India granted environment clearance also for the construction of a new dam, but the Government of Tamil Nadu, the major beneficiary of the dam opposed the proposed new dam and the Supreme Court stated that that there is no need for construction of a new dam by the Kerala Government, but to strengthen the existing dam so that it can function like a new dam.

(Image: Reservoir of Mullaperiyar Dam)

     
 
     

2008 AUG
Government of India accorded consent for International Harbour and Container Transshipment Terminal, at Vizhinjam, near Thiruvananthapuram. The proposed Vizhinjam Seaport is an ambitious project taken up by Government of Kerala. It will be designed to cater primarily for container transshipments besides multi-purpose and break bulk cargo.

(Image: Model of Vizhinjam Seaport)

 

2010 AUG 31
Government of Kerala established Kerala Administrative Tribunal.

(Image: Mathew C.Kunnumkel, Member of Administrative Tribunal taking oath before Justice Balakrishnan Nair, Chairman, Kerala Administrative Tribunal)

     
 
     
2012 AUG 27
LPG Tanker lorry exploded at Chala in Kannur town. 20 persons including women and children died and many injured. Several shops and houses in the area have also been destroyed in the fire. The incident occurred when the lorry carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) overturned after hitting a divider around 9 p.m. 
  2013 AUG 02
Renowned Malayalam poetess and social activist Sugatha Kumari conferred with prestigious Saraswati Samman award for 2012, instituted by KK Birla Foundation.
     
 

     

2013 AUG 04
Heavy rain in Kerala has caused huge loss to life and property. In Idukki district 14 persons died and several others reported missing as a string of landslips triggered by heavy downpour. The deceased included two children and two women as their houses on the slopes of the hills swept away by flash floods.

(Image: Rescue operations in Idukki)

 

2015 AUG 05

The government of Kerala has formed a separate department for AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) with a view to promote the use of Indian Systems of Medicines and to implement various projects of the Union government.

(Image: Chief Minister inaugurating the new Department of AYUSH)
     
 

2016 AUG 07

Kerala Congress (Mani Group) decided to break ties with the Congress led United Democratic Front and to form a separate block in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.

 

 

2018 AUG 1-20

Between 1st August and 20th August heavy downpour occured and soaked almost the entire state. The government was forced to release water from 35 dams while the intense rains continued. Simultaneously, more than 5,000 landslides of varying nature and intensity occurred all over the state. The result was catastrophic, affecting almost one in every six people in the state. The disasters impacted three-fourths of the Kerala villages and temporarily displaced almost 15 lakhs people.  While Kerala was recovering from the shock of the devastating disasters of 2018, another spell of incessant rains resulted in heavy floods and landslides in August 2019.  Northern Kerala districts, particularly Wayanad, Malappuram and Kozhikode were severely affected.

 



     
 
     

2019-AUG 08

As in the year 2018, heavy rains lashed in Kerala again and caused heavy flood and landslides. It is estimated that 101 people died in the disaster. Almost 60 per cent of the villages in Kerala were impacted. More than two lakh people have been rehabilitated in relief camps. Wayanad, Malappuram, Kozhakode, Kannur, Palakkad, Thrissur and Ernakulam were the worst affected districts.
On August 8, a collapsing hill resulted in a massive landslide in Puthumala in Wayanad District. Residents say there were fewer than 20 casualties. Minor collapses the day before had alerted the residents to move to safer places. However, most houses, farmlands and sources of livelihood in village were severely damaged. At least 59 people perished in Kavalappara near Pothukal in Malappuram district when the Muthappan Hill caved in around 7:30 pm on August 8.

 

2019 AUG 17

The Commerce Ministry has awarded the GI tag to Kerala's Tirur betel leaf, which is mainly cultivated in Tirur, Tanur, Tirurangadi, Kuttippuram, Malappuram and Vengara block panchayaths of Malappuram district. It is valued both for its mild stimulant action and medicinal properties, even though it is commonly used for making pan masala for chewing.  Geographical Indication (GI) is an indication used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. Such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to its origin in that defined geographical locality.