Kerala School Kalolsavam

The Kerala School Kalolsavam is an annual event organized by the Government of Kerala, featuring various art competitions for high school and higher secondary students across the state of Kerala. Established in 1956, it was known as the "Kerala State School Youth Festival" until 2024. The participants, students in classes 8 to 12, compete at the state level after advancing from their respective district competitions. The event typically takes place between December and January and is considered one of the largest cultural gatherings in Asia.
The current champions are Thrissur district, who won the 63rd Kerala School Kalolsavam held in Thiruvananthapuram from January 4 to 8, 2025. This was the district's sixth overall victory, with their last win in 1999.
Kerala School Kalolsavam is a unique festival in its structure and organization, overseen by the Education Department as per guidelines drafted by experts. This annual event provides a platform for students to showcase their talents at various levels, from school to the state. Over its 53-year history, the festival has evolved significantly in both scope and spirit, becoming a hallmark of student talent in Kerala.
The event traces its roots back to 1956-57, when it was known as the 'School Yuvajanolsavam'. The idea for the festival was conceived by Dr. C.S. Venkiteswaran, who was inspired by an inter-university festival in Delhi. The first event, held at Sree Rama Varma High School in Ernakulam, was a modest one-day program with 200 participants. Over the years, more competitions were added, and the event expanded in both scale and duration, now spanning five days with around 10,000 participants.
From its early days, the festival has seen considerable growth. Initially a small event, it has become a major cultural festival supported by the government, local authorities, and representatives from various levels, including the Grama Panchayat, Corporation, and state legislators. In 2008-09, the event reached a milestone with a participant count of nearly 10,000, compared to the 200 participants in its inaugural year.
The year 1975 marked a turning point for the Kalolsavam, when traditional Kerala art forms like Kathakali music, Mohiniyattam, and Aksharaslokam were introduced. The festival continued to grow, incorporating more art forms such as Margamkali, Kuchipudi, and Yakshaganam. By the late 1980s, a prestigious Golden Cup made of 117.5 sovereigns of gold was introduced for the overall winning district, designed by Chirayankeezhu Srikandan Nair.
In 2000, the Millennium Trophy, featuring a dancing Nataraja figure, was introduced. Today, the Kalolsavam rewards winners with various trophies, cash prizes, and grace marks. Trichur Trophies has been the official provider of awards for the past 12 years, and in 2022 alone, around 14,000 trophies were distributed at the state level. The earlier system of awarding titles like 'Kalathilakam' and 'Kalaprathibha' has been discontinued to prevent unhealthy competition.
The following is a list of events held at Kalolsavam, categorized by art forms. Some events are restricted to specific participants, with certain events only for boys, others only for girls, and some for both. Additionally, some events are exclusive to students from Arabic and Sanskrit medium schools.
The following list details the overall district winners of the Kerala State School Youth Festival (Kalolsavam) since its inception in 1957. Until 2009, only the top-performing district was recognized with a title. Starting in 2009, the introduction of the runner-up category expanded the awards to include second-place and third-place honors as well.
Note – Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, no editions of the event were held in years 2021 and 2022.
Note – Due to political and administrative issues in the state, no editions of the event were held in years 1972 and 1973.
Note – Due to political and administrative issues in the state, no editions of the event were held in years 1966 and 1967.
The following is a list of district-wise winners of the Kerala School Kalolsavam since its inception. The winner of the first edition, North Malabar, is not included in this list as it represented a group of multiple districts.
The Kerala School Kalolsavam has long served as a platform for discovering new talent, with many participants going on to make notable contributions to the Malayalam film industry. Several well-known Malayalam actors were once participants in the Kalolsavam, where they earned recognition for their skills in various competitions.