A 'Top Post' Couple! Wife Succeeds Husband As Kerala Chief Secretary; Shashi Tharoor Lauds

In a historic first for Kerala, Sarada Muraleedharan has succeeded her husband, V Venu, as the Chief Secretary. Muraleedharan, an IAS officer from the 1990 batch, took over the role after Venu retired on August 31. The Kerala government had confirmed her appointment on August 21.

Both Muraleedharan and Venu belong to the same IAS batch, with Venu being slightly older. Before this new role, Muraleedharan served as the Additional Chief Secretary in Planning and Economic Affairs. This transition marks a significant milestone in Kerala's bureaucratic history.

The historic feat was lauded by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on micro-blogging site X. He said, "For the first time in India (at least as far as anyone can remember!), Kerala's outgoing ChiefSecretary, Dr V, Venu, handed over the CS's post to his wife, Sarada Murlidharan, at a formal handover ceremony at the secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram. Both are IAS officers of the 1990 batch but Venu is several months older than his wife, who is next in seniority in the service."

Historic Transition in Kerala

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor highlighted the uniqueness of this event by sharing a video of the handover ceremony on social media platform X. "For the first time in India (at least as far as anyone can remember!), Kerala's outgoing Chief Secretary, Dr V Venu, handed over the CS's post to his wife, Sarada Muraleedharan," Tharoor posted.

"Both are IAS officers of the 1990 batch but Venu is several months older than his wife, who is next in seniority in the service. A clip of the ceremony: the government was able to economise on the bouquet!" he added.

Farewell Ceremony for V Venu

During a farewell event for Venu on Friday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan noted that while Kerala has seen husband-wife duos in key bureaucratic roles before, this is the first instance where a Chief Secretary has been succeeded by their spouse.

Muraleedharan expressed mixed feelings about continuing her service alone for another eight months after her husband's retirement. "Now I am a bit anxious as I have to continue in service for another eight months after his retirement," she said. "We worked together as civil servants for 34 years, but I never gave much thought to the fact that we will not leave the service together."

The handover ceremony was attended by various dignitaries and marked a significant moment in Kerala's administrative history. The event was widely covered and shared across social media platforms.

This unique transition underscores both Muraleedharan's and Venu's long-standing dedication to public service. Their careers have spanned multiple decades and various departments within Kerala's administration.

The couple's journey through civil services has been marked by numerous achievements and contributions to state governance. This latest development adds another notable chapter to their distinguished careers.

The appointment of Sarada Muraleedharan as Chief Secretary is not just a personal milestone but also a significant event for gender representation in high-level bureaucratic positions within India.

Their story serves as an inspiration for many young aspirants looking to join civil services and make meaningful contributions to society through dedicated public service.