After over 50 years of living in Kerala and deeply immersing herself in its culture, 84-year-old Pepita Seth has officially become an Indian citizen. The UK-born woman, lovingly called the state’s ‘adopted daughter,’ dedicated her life to documenting and sharing Kerala’s traditions globally, earning a Padma Shri for her contributions.
Some people visit a place, click a few photos, and move on. Others land somewhere and quietly realise, “Yeah… this feels like home.” Pepita Seth is very much in the second category. Born and brought up in the UK, Pepita came to India years ago with nothing more than curiosity and a sense of adventure. She didn’t arrive with a plan to settle down. But somewhere along her travels, Kerala got under her skin — the people, the traditions, the colours, the everyday life. What started as a trip slowly turned into a lifelong love story. More than 50 years later, at 84, she’s officially become an Indian citizen – a moment many in Kerala feel was long overdue. Pepita has lived in the state for decades, mostly in Thrissur, which she now calls home in every sense of the word. She applied for Indian citizenship in 2024, and in February 2026, she was finally handed her naturalisation certificate by District Collector Arjun Pandian. He called the moment rare and meaningful, especially given how much she’s done to take Kerala’s culture to the world. F
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