A day after her social media post condemning discrimination based on skin color, Kerala’s Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan on Wednesday said that when you are a black (dark-skinned) woman, you are invisible.
“As a woman, it is difficult to be heard. But when you are a black (dark-skinned) woman, you are invisible,” Muraleedharan (59) told The Indian Express.
The comment, made in a seemingly joking manner, suggested that her administration was “black” and thus inferior. However, Muraleedharan counters the remark, asserting we don’t need external validation.
“I think it’s high time for me not to feel defensive about either the fact that I am a woman or that I am dark. It’s time that I own both of these and that I come out strongly. By my coming out strongly, maybe it will help those people who are going through similar feelings of insecurity and inadequacy, to feel that we are worth it and we don’t need external validation…,” Muraleedharan told ANI.
Earlier on Tuesday, Muraleedharan shared a recent incident she faced in the office and said, “Heard an interesting comment yesterday on my stewardship as chief secretary – that it is as black as my husband’s was white.”
Muraleedharan held the Kerala Chief secretary position since she took over from her husband Dr V Venu in September 2024. She is a 1990-batch IAS officer.
Reportedly, Muraleedharan headed the Kudumbashree Mission of the Kerala government from year 2006 to 2012 which mainly focused on empowering women, reducing poverty and emphasising human rights perspectives. She also workef as as the chief operating officer at the National Rural Livelihoods Mission.
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