This study deals with the exploration of freshwater placoderm desmids from the sacred rivers of Achankovil and Pamba, Southern Western Ghats located in Kerala, South India during the post-monsoon and monsoon season (2021-2022). The floristic survey documented seventy-four taxa of desmids belonging to sixteen genera, viz. <i>Actinotaenium</i> (2 species), <i>Cosmarium</i> (13 species), <i>Closterium</i> (12 species), <i>Desmidium</i> (1 species), <i>Euastrum</i> (2 species), <i>Gonatozygon</i> (2 species), <i>Hyalotheca </i>(1 species), <i>Micrasterias</i> (4 species), <i>Penium</i> (1 species), <i>Pleurotaenium</i> (2 species), <i>Sphaerozosma </i>(1 species), <i>Spondylosium</i> (1 species) <i>Staurastrum</i> (24 species), <i>Staurodesmus</i> (5 species), <i>Teilingia </i>(1 species) and <i>Xanthidium</i> (2 species). Genus <i>Staurastrum</i> Meyen ex Ralfs was the most diverse genus observed, indicating its adaptive capabilities in the lotic habitat. The study which solely focused on the planktic desmids of rivers revealed sixteen species of desmids new to India. The present research in desmids provides significant basic data for future taxonomic and ecological studies in similar habitats.