Kakkanad is located near Thrikkakara, the capital of the mythical KingMahabali. In verse 273 of Naṉṉūl, a 13th-century book on Tamil grammar, Sankara Namasivayar recites a venpa that describes the twelve districts of Tamil Nadu where Koduntamil is spoken, as Thenpandi Nadu, Kutta Nadu, Kuda Nadu, Karka Nadu, Venadu, Poozhi Nadu, Pandri Nadu, Aruva Nadu, Aruva Vadathalai, Seetha Nadu, Malai Nadu and Punal Nadu. "Karka Nadu" is believed to be a reference to Kakkanad.The old name of kakanad is karkanad-thrikakara.
Administration
Being the administrative hub of Ernakulam district, Kakkanad is home for several state as well as central government offices namely, the Civil Station, the District Panchayat office, the Airman Selection Board, Siksha Bhavan, Kendriya Shram Sadan etc.
Kakkanad is home for a portion of the industrial base of Kochi. It is home for the Cochin Special Economic Zone. Carborundum Universal Ltd has a unit near the technopolis. Industrial projects like Fashion City are proposed in Kakkanad. This has led to several builders setting up projects here. Being the IT Capital of Kerala, Kakkanad is home for the largest IT Township in India, the Smart City, the second largest IT industrial park in Kerala, the Kochi InfoPark. Kakkanad is also home for a Software Export Promotion Zone . The international submarine cable systems landing in Kochi has their nodes installed in Kakkanad. The CSEZ houses the Cognizant Technology Solutions, Williamslea, WRENCH Solutions, and the Sutherland Global Solutions. Kakkanad houses the following IT Parks:
− All these together accounts for 55% of IT exports from Kerala, thus gaining the nickname "IT Capital of Kerala" for Kakkanad. The Kerala Books and Publications Society has its press at Kakkanad. The press is the biggest multicolor offset printing unit in Kerala Government Sector.
Residential Projects
, , Asset E-Scape, Asset I-Pulse, Asset Refresh, Asset Silicon Heights, Asset Cyber Heights, Asset E-Valley are the residential projects by in Kakkanad.
Media
Kakkanad is also the broadcasting hub of Kochi. It is home for the terrestrial relay station of the national television broadcaster, the Doordarshan. Prasar Bharati, the corporation controlling the public broadcast, has a marketing division at Kakkanad. Kakkanad also hosts the state-owned Kochi FM Radio. Red FM Regional office is also at Kakkanad on Seaport – Airport Road, near Infopark express way.
, the largest theme park in the state, is located near Kakkanad. EMS Co-operative Library, housing over 70,000 titles is located at Kakkanad. Trinity World Tower is one of the biggest apartment project in Kakkanad. There are 4 towers in Trinity World. Prestige Forum Mall is proposed opposite Kusumagiri Hospital as part of the township project developed by Bangalore-based Prestige Group. Tulsi Greenfield Villas – Biggest customized villa project near Infopark & Smartcity. 86 villas within a gated community. Regional Chemical Examiner’s Laboratory, Ernakulam—one of the three laboratories belonging to Chemical Examiner's Laboratory Department under the Government of Kerala—is situated at Kakkanad. It has jurisdiction over central four districts namely Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur and Palakkad districts. ABAD Bluechip is a residential apartment project by ABAD Builders in Kakkanad near to Inforpark and Smartcity Kochi. Yasoram Builders have constructed the Abode project in Thammanam, Ernakulam. Luxury furniture shop, Bespoke Furniture and More located in Kaipadamugal, Seaport-Airport Road, Kakkanad Skyline Spectra is a residential by Skyline Builders near Infopark, Kakkanad.
