Kerala Firsts, Biggest, Longest, Highest — Complete Table for PSC Exams

“First in Kerala” and “biggest/longest/highest in Kerala” questions appear in virtually every PSC exam. Expect 3-8 direct questions from this list alone. Memorise the tables — there is no shortcut.

Firsts in Kerala — Political and Administrative

First	Answer
First Chief Minister	E.M.S. Namboodiripad (1957)
First Governor	Dr. B. Ramakrishna Rao (1956)
First Speaker of Kerala Assembly	Sankunni Menon (1957)
First Woman Minister	K.R. Gouri Amma (Revenue Minister, 1957)
First Kerala High Court Chief Justice	Justice K.T. Koshi
First Kerala election	1957 (first elected communist government in India)
First district formed	Thiruvananthapuram (1 July 1949, in Travancore-Cochin state)
Last district formed	Kasaragod (24 May 1984) — 14th district
First Panchayat in Kerala	Vaikom (under Travancore)
First municipality	Fort Kochi (1664, under the Dutch — oldest municipality in India)
First corporation	Thiruvananthapuram (1940, under Travancore)

Firsts in Kerala — Education and Media

First	Answer
First university	University of Kerala (1937, originally University of Travancore)
First newspaper	Rajyasamacharam (1847, by Hermann Gundert, in Thalassery)
First Malayalam newspaper	Rajyasamacharam (1847)
First Malayalam magazine	Jnananikshepam (1848)
First daily newspaper	Kerala Mitram (1883, Kochi)
First printing press	Set up at Kottayam by CMS missionaries (1821)
First Malayalam novel	Kundalatha (1887) by Appu Nedungadi
First Malayalam short story	Vasanavikriti (1891) by Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar
First travelogue in Malayalam	Varthamanappusthakam (1785) by Paremmakkal Thomman Kathanar
First school in Kerala	CMS School, Kottayam (1817)
First engineering college	College of Engineering, Trivandrum (CET, 1939)
First medical college	Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram (1951)

Firsts in Kerala — Social and Cultural

First	Answer
First temple entry proclamation	Travancore Temple Entry Proclamation (12 November 1936, by Chithira Thirunal)
First Jnanpith Award winner	G. Sankara Kurup (1965, for Odakkuzhal)
First Padma Vibhushan	K.P.S. Menon (1954)
First Bharat Ratna	None from Kerala as of 2026
First Olympic medal winner	None from Kerala as of 2026
First Indian cricketer from Kerala	Tinu Yohannan (2001)
First Kerala Sahitya Akademi President	Sardar K.M. Panikkar
First film	Vigathakumaran (1928, by J.C. Daniel)
First talkie film	Balan (1938, by S. Nottani)
First colour film	Kandam Becha Coat (1961)

Firsts in Kerala — Transport and Infrastructure

First	Answer
First railway line	Tirur to Beypore (Shoranur-Beypur line, 1861)
First airport	Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (1932, started as an aerodrome)
First international airport	Nedumbassery (CIAL, Kochi, 1999 — India’s first PPP airport)
First hydroelectric project	Pallivasal (1940, in Idukki district)
First IT park	Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram (1990 — India’s first IT park)
First dam	Mullaperiyar Dam (1895, built by John Pennycuick)
First metro rail	Kochi Metro (2017)

Biggest, Longest, Highest, Largest in Kerala

Superlative	Answer
Longest river	Periyar (244 km)
Second longest river	Bharathapuzha (209 km)
Highest peak	Anamudi (2,695 m, in Idukki — highest peak in South India)
Largest lake	Vembanad Lake (also longest lake in India — ~96 km)
Largest district (area)	Idukki (4,358 sq km)
Smallest district (area)	Alappuzha (1,414 sq km)
Most populous district	Malappuram (2011 Census)
Least populous district	Wayanad (2011 Census)
Most literate district	Pathanamthitta
Longest national highway in Kerala	NH 66 (formerly NH 17 and NH 47 combined)
Highest waterfall	Meenmutty Falls, Wayanad (~300 m); Athirappilly is the largest by flow volume
Largest wildlife sanctuary	Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (Idukki, 925 sq km)
Largest national park	Eravikulam National Park (97 sq km)
Largest backwater	Vembanad backwater system
Highest dam	Idukki Arch Dam (168.91 m — Asia’s first arch dam)
Longest river bridge	Vembanad Rail Bridge (near Kochi)

Rivers of Kerala — Quick Reference

Kerala has 44 rivers (41 flowing west, 3 flowing east).

River	Length	Key Fact
Periyar	244 km	Longest; origin at Sivagiri, flows through Idukki
Bharathapuzha	209 km	Second longest; also called Nila
Pamba	176 km	Sabarimala is on its banks
Chaliyar	169 km	Third longest west-flowing river
Kabani	172 km	East-flowing; tributary of Kaveri
Pambar	—	East-flowing
Bhavani	—	East-flowing

Districts of Kerala — Formation Order

Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956 (Kerala Piravi) with the States Reorganisation Act. Initially had 5 districts (Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Thrissur, Malabar). Currently 14 districts.

District	Formed
Ernakulam	1958
Palakkad	1957
Kozhikode	1957
Kannur	1957
Alappuzha	1957
Idukki	1972
Wayanad	1980
Malappuram	1969
Pathanamthitta	1982
Kasaragod	1984 (newest)

Kerala Symbols

Symbol	Detail
State animal	Indian Elephant
State bird	Great Hornbill (Vezhambal)
State tree	Coconut Palm
State flower	Kanikonna (Golden Shower — Cassia fistula)
State fish	Karimeen (Pearl Spot / Green Chromide)
State fruit	Jackfruit (Chakka)
State butterfly	Malabar Banded Peacock

Quick Mnemonic

For east-flowing rivers: “KaPB flows east” — Kabani, Pambar, Bhavani.

For district formation order (last 4): “MIPK — Malappuram (1969), Idukki (1972), Pathanamthitta (1982), Kasaragod (1984).”

Drill these tables until you can answer any “first/biggest” question in under 3 seconds. These are pure recall marks — do not lose them.