Kerala Chief Secretary On Colourism In India: ‘When You Are A Dark-Skinned Woman, You Are Invisible’

Kerala Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan has spoken out against the stigma of being labelled ‘black,’ questioning why the colour is vilified when it, in fact, embodies the all-encompassing reality of the universe. Her Facebook post ignited a widespread discussion on social media, shedding light on issues of gender and racial bias. The post received overwhelming support.  

Below, we delve into who Sarada Muraleedharan is and explore the details of her viral post that has sparked this intense debate.

Sarada Muraleedharan Calls Out Skin Colour Bias

Kerala Chief Secretary and Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Sarada Muraleedharan has reignited the conversation on skin colour bias by sharing her personal experiences of discrimination.

Taking to Facebook, Muraleedharan recalled a remark comparing her leadership to that of her predecessor, V Venu, stating, "It is as black as my husband's was white." Venu, a 1990-batch IAS officer, is also her husband. Reflecting on this comment, she wrote on March 25, "Heard an interesting comment yesterday on my stewardship as Chief Secretary – that it is as black as my husband’s was white. Hmmm. I need to own my blackness."

Initially, Muraleedharan deleted the post after receiving an overwhelming wave of responses but later decided to repost it. Explaining her decision, she wrote, "I am reposting it because certain well-wishers said that there were things that needed to be discussed. I agree. So here goes, once again."

The post, which has garnered over 1000 reactions and hundreds of comments and shares, also touched on her lifelong struggle with societal bias against dark skin. She shared how she grew up feeling inferior due to her complexion but later embraced her beauty—thanks to her children, who helped her realise that ‘black is gorgeousness.’

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"As a woman, being heard is already challenging. But when you are dark-skinned, you become invisible," Sarada Muraleedharan told The Indian Express, a day after her social media post addressing discrimination based on skin colour sparked widespread discussion.

Muraleedharan highlighted that India's deep-seated bias against darker skin is rooted in caste-based discrimination. "It is a reality that people from lower castes and those living in extreme poverty are often labelled as dark or black. These prejudices are ingrained in our society," she stated.

Who is Sarada Muraleedharan?

A 1990-batch IAS officer, Sarada Muraleedharan took over as Kerala’s Chief Secretary in September 2024, succeeding her husband, Dr V Venu.

Muraleedharan began her administrative career by leading the Kudumbashree Mission of the Kerala government from 2006 to 2012. The initiative focused on women’s empowerment, poverty reduction, and human rights. She later served as the Chief Operating Officer of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission under the Ministry of Rural Development until December 2013.

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From 2014 to 2016, she worked as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, where she played a key role in developing Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP) to promote citizen participation through Gram Sabhas.

According to her Facebook profile, Muraleedharan has also held several important positions, including Trivandrum’s District Collector, Commissioner for Rural Development, Director of Collegiate Education, and roles in Scheduled Caste Development. She has served as the Director of the Modernising Government Programme, Secretary to the Kerala Government’s Cultural Affairs Department, and Secretary of Social Welfare.

In addition to her governance roles, Muraleedharan also served as Director General of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) for over two and a half years.

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Credits: Freepik