Kerala’s Chief Secretary, Sarada Muraleedharan, has raised concerns over discrimination based on color and gender after she was subjected to an insensitive remark comparing her tenure to that of her predecessor. Muraleedharan took to social media on Tuesday to call out the bias, shedding light on a deeply ingrained issue that continues to persist in society.
Sharing her experience on Facebook, Muraleedharan revealed the shocking comment she had encountered. “Heard an interesting comment yesterday on my stewardship as chief secretary – that it is as black as my husband’s was white,” she wrote. The remark referenced her tenure in comparison to her husband, V Venu, who served as Kerala’s chief secretary before her until August 2024.
Muraleedharan expressed disappointment at how her work was being judged not on merit but through a racial and gendered lens. “It was about being labelled black (with that quiet subtext of being a woman), as if that were something to be desperately ashamed of,” she stated.
She further reflected on how society conditions individuals to see beauty and value only in fairness. “I have lived for over 50 years buried under that narrative of not being a colour that was good enough. And buying into that narrative. Of not seeing beauty or value in black,” she wrote.
Muraleedharan acknowledged that while comparisons with her predecessor had been constant over the past seven months, this particular remark struck a nerve. “Why did I want to call this particular one out? I was hurt, yes. But then these last seven months have been a relentless parade of comparisons with my predecessor, and I have become quite inured,” she explained.
She made it clear that she would not reveal the identity of the person who made the comment but emphasized the need for open discussion on such issues. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, she said, “I was shocked when I heard that comment. Comparisons with my husband are common, but to do that using black and white was disturbing.”
She also highlighted the importance of challenging such biases, stating, “If someone could wage a battle against discrimination towards black colour, it would be me sitting in this position.”
Muraleedharan’s post quickly gained attention, drawing responses from political leaders and social activists who condemned the discrimination she faced.
Kerala’s Minister for General Education, V Sivankutty, expressed solidarity with her, stating, “The chief secretary’s post sheds light on the challenges faced by individuals subject to prejudices. Discrimination based on skin colour has no place in progressive Kerala.”
Excise and Local Self-Government Minister MB Rajesh also voiced his concern, saying, “It is shocking that the state’s chief secretary had to face discrimination based on colour. It is proof of how afflicted Kerala’s society has become.”
CPI(M) Lok Sabha MP K Radhakrishnan pointed out that the incident was evidence of the continued existence of biases related to caste and colour in society.
Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, VD Satheesan, also joined in support, sharing Muraleedharan’s post and remarking, “Salute dear Sarada Muraleedharan. Every word you write is heart-touching. Needs to be discussed…”
Muraleedharan’s courageous stand has ignited a much-needed conversation about colour-based discrimination and gender biases, even at the highest levels of administration. She urged people to reject outdated prejudices, saying, “The tendency to use color as a weapon to exploit the self-respect of another person must be resisted. We must not fall into such traps, and we must convince ourselves that we are above such thinking.”
She concluded her message with a powerful reminder: “We should be able to assimilate the colour we are and proudly declare that we are happy to be (that colour).”
Her words have resonated with many, bringing attention to the subtle and not-so-subtle ways discrimination manifests in everyday life. The incident serves as a wake-up call for society to move beyond superficial judgments and embrace individuals for their capabilities rather than their appearance.
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