‘It's a high-profile person who made insulting remarks on my skin colour, but won't name': Kerala Chief Secy

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, who is set to retire on April 30, has disclosed that a "high-profile" individual had made the derogatory remark about her skin tone which she had revealed earlier. However, she said she preferred not to disclose the identity of the person involved.

In a recent interview with a television channel, Muraleedharan said the individual in question had not reached out or expressed remorse over the comment. “Both of us interacted in a very friendly manner even after that (controversy), but the person has not talked about the issue,” she said.

The senior IAS officer recently stirred conversation online through a Facebook post in which she addressed ongoing societal prejudices based on complexion and gender. The post gained attention after she recounted being subjected to a comment that compared her work to that of her husband and former chief secretary V Venu, saying, "It is as black as my husband's was white."

Explaining her decision to speak out, Muraleedharan said the post was aimed at confronting the underlying bias people continue to carry. “It is an issue of attitude towards the black colour,” she said in the interview.

When asked whether the comment had come from someone holding significant public stature, she confirmed it, but chose not to clarify whether it was a politician or a top bureaucrat. Muraleedharan, however, said the "high-profile" person had not contacted her or expressed any regret over his remarks so far.

Following her post, she said she received calls from many individuals across different backgrounds, offering support and sharing their own experiences of facing similar discrimination.

Muraleedharan, a 1989-batch IAS officer, is stepping down after a long and respected career in public service. A Jayathilak will take over as the next Chief Secretary of Kerala.