HoracePettigrew: Creating basic article nd citations

2026-04-12T00:45:08Z

Creating basic article nd citations

New page

{{Short description|Indian civil servant}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Sarada Muraleedharan
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|4|17}}
| occupation = Civil servant
| batch =
| office = [[Chief Secretary (India)|Chief Secretary]] of Kerala
| term_start = 1 September 2024
| term_end = 30 April 2025
| predecessor = [[V. Venu]]
| successor = [[A. Jayathilak]]
| spouse = [[V. Venu]]
}}

'''Sarada Muraleedharan''' <ref name="TOI-2024">{{cite news |title=Sharada Muraleedharan to take over as next chief secy |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/sharada-muraleedharan-to-take-over-as-next-chief-secy/articleshow/112689068.cms |work=The Times of India |date=21 August 2024 |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref> (born 17 April 1965) is a retired civil servant of the [[Indian Administrative Service]] (IAS) of Kerala cadre (1990 batch).<ref name="IASCivilList-2023">{{cite web |title=IAS Civil List (Kerala) |url=https://gad.kerala.gov.in/sites/default/files/All_india_services/IAS%20Civil%20List.pdf |publisher=General Administration Department (All India Services), Government of Kerala |format=PDF |date=13 November 2023 |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref> She served as the 49th [[Chief secretary (India)|Chief secretary]] of Kerala from 1 September 2024 to 30 April 2025.<ref name="GAD-ChiefSecretaries">{{cite web |title=Chief Secretaries of Kerala |url=https://gad.kerala.gov.in/index.php/en/chief-secretaries |publisher=General Administration Department, Government of Kerala |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref>

During her career, Muraleedharan held senior positions in the Government of Kerala and on central deputation, including serving as Executive Director of the [[Kudumbashree]] Mission (2006–2012), Chief Operating Officer of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj, and Director General of the [[National Institute of Fashion Technology]] (NIFT).<ref name="Kudumbashree-ED">{{cite web |title=Executive Director's Page |url=https://www.kudumbashree.org/pages/183 |publisher=Kudumbashree (State Poverty Eradication Mission), Government of Kerala |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref><ref name="TNIE-2024">{{cite news |title=Sarada Muraleedharan to be appointed new Chief Secretary of Kerala |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Aug/21/sarada-muraleedharan-to-be-appointed-new-chief-secretary-of-kerala |work=The New Indian Express |date=21 August 2024 |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref><ref name="IT-2016">{{cite news |title=Make in India Fashion Summit: Aim is to develop great entrepreneurs, says Sarada Muraleedharan |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/north/story/make-in-india-fashion-summit-nift-sarada-muraleedharan-358884-2016-12-21 |work=India Today |date=22 December 2016 |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Muraleedharan is from [[Thiruvananthapuram]], Kerala.<ref name="IndianExpress-2024">{{cite news |title=Kerala's power couple share secret formula: 'Be each other's sounding boards' |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/thiruvananthapuram/keralas-power-couple-share-secret-formula-9563063/ |work=The Indian Express |date=12 September 2024 |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref> She attended the Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram.<ref name="GCW-Alumni">{{cite web |title=Smt. Sarada G Muraleedharan |url=https://gcwtvm.ac.in/smt-sarada-g-muraleedharan/ |publisher=Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref>

== Career ==
Muraleedharan joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1990 and was allotted the Kerala cadre.<ref name="IASCivilList-2023" />

=== District administration ===
She served as District Collector of Thiruvananthapuram from 18 September 1998 to 18 October 2000.<ref name="TVM-Collectors">{{cite web |title=Former District Collectors |url=https://trivandrum.nic.in/en/former-district-collectors/ |publisher=District Thiruvananthapuram, Government of Kerala |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref>

=== Kudumbashree Mission ===
Muraleedharan served as Executive Director of the Kudumbashree Mission from 12 June 2006 to 1 May 2012.<ref name="Kudumbashree-ED" />

=== State and central government roles ===
On central deputation, she served as Chief Operating Officer of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission under the Ministry of Rural Development, and later as Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj, where she worked on the promotion of Gram Panchayat Development Plans.<ref name="TNIE-2024" /><ref name="Onmanorama-Retire">{{cite news |title=Major revamp in Kerala bureaucracy as Chief Secretary, other top officials retire today |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2025/04/30/kerala-bureaucracy-revamp-chief-secretary-retire.html |work=Onmanorama |date=30 April 2025 |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref>

=== Director General, NIFT ===
In 2016, Muraleedharan was appointed Director General of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).<ref name="IT-2016" />

=== Chief Secretary of Kerala (2024–2025) ===
In August 2024, the Kerala cabinet appointed Muraleedharan as Chief Secretary. She assumed office on 1 September 2024, succeeding the outgoing Chief Secretary, V. Venu (her spouse), who retired on 31 August 2024.<ref name="TNIE-2024" /><ref name="GAD-ChiefSecretaries" />

Media coverage noted that while IAS couples had previously both served as Kerala chief secretaries at different times, this was the first instance in the state where the office passed directly from one spouse to the other.<ref name="IndianExpress-2024" />

Muraleedharan retired on 30 April 2025 and was succeeded by A. Jayathilak.<ref name="GAD-ChiefSecretaries" /><ref name="Onmanorama-Retire" />

== Public statements ==
In March 2025, Muraleedharan received attention after a social media post in which she discussed colourism and gendered stereotyping, following commentary comparing her performance as chief secretary to that of her predecessor and spouse. The post was discussed in Indian media about discrimination linked to skin colour.<ref name="NDTV-2025">{{cite news |title=Sarada Muraleedharan: 'I Dig Black': Kerala Bureaucrat Calls Out Colourism, Comparison To Husband |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/sarada-muraleedharan-i-dig-black-kerala-bureaucrat-calls-out-colourism-comparison-to-husband-8013990 |work=NDTV |date=26 March 2025 |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref><ref name="Mint-2025">{{cite news |title=Who is Sarada Muraleedharan? Kerala chief secretary confronts skin colour bias |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/who-is-sarada-muraleedharan-kerala-bureaucrat-who-spoke-against-skin-colour-bias-with-powerful-message-11743042855594.html |work=Mint |date=27 March 2025 |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Muraleedharan is married to [[V. Venu]], a retired IAS officer who served as Chief Secretary of Kerala immediately before her.<ref name="IndianExpress-2024" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Muraleedharan, Sarada}}
[[Category:Indian civil servants]]
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:People from Thiruvananthapuram]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Sarada Muraleedharan - Revision history

HoracePettigrew: Creating basic article nd citations