In an unprecedented moment in Kerala's bureaucratic history, Sarada Muraleedharan is set to succeed her husband, V Venu, as the Chief Secretary of the state.
During the farewell ceremony organised for Venu on Friday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan pointed out that while Kerala has had several instances of civil servant couples, with both partners even succeeding each other as District Collectors, this is the first occasion where a Chief Secretary is being succeeded by their spouse.
Muraleedharan, in her farewell remarks, acknowledged the rare occurrence of the moment. Having worked alongside her husband in the civil service for 34 years, she admitted that she had never considered they might not retire together.
"Now I am a bit anxious as I have to continue in service for another eight months after his retirement," she said.
The chief minister, in his speech bidding farewell to Venu, lavished praise on him for the work he did in various departments of the state government over the years.
"A medical doctor, dramatist, bureaucrat and a prominent personality in many capacities. This is a speciality that is not common to ordinary civil servants. He was able to advance both artistic and administrative work," Vijayan said.
Venu reflected on his long career, sharing his feelings of relief at leaving behind the burdens of office, mixed with the anxiety of stepping into a new chapter of life as a private citizen.
{{/usCountry}}Venu reflected on his long career, sharing his feelings of relief at leaving behind the burdens of office, mixed with the anxiety of stepping into a new chapter of life as a private citizen.
{{/usCountry}}He said that when working as a government official, "We often forget that there will be a life after this". "Usually, government officials get some time a couple of months before their retirement to meet friends, put things in order... But, tomorrow I have to go to the office, my last day in service, hold my last review meeting and hand over various responsibilities to others before I retire," he said.