Kerala Chief Secretary Challenges Color Bias: A Personal Journey

Sarada Muraleedharan, the Chief Secretary of Kerala, recently spoke up about being called “black.” She questioned why the color black is looked down upon when it is actually a beautiful and important part of the universe. Her post on Facebook sparked a big discussion about race and gender, and many people showed their support for her.

In her post, Sarada shared her childhood memories of feeling less than others because of her dark skin. It wasn’t until her own children told her how beautiful black skin is that she realized its true value.

Sarada, who became the Chief Secretary in September 2024, followed her husband, Dr. V Venu, in the role. She has a long career in public service, working in various areas to empower women, reduce poverty, and improve human rights.

Regarding the controversy that sparked her post, someone compared her leadership style to her husband’s and said, “it is as black as my husband’s was white,” which really upset her. Although she took her post down at first due to the strong responses, she later shared it again after hearing that people felt the topic was important.

Sarada expressed that people often compare her to her husband since she took over his position but emphasized that being labeled “black” should not be seen as something bad or to be ashamed of. In fact, she spoke about how, from a young age, she wished to be fair-skinned because of society’s beauty standards.

She shared, “Until my children came along, who loved their dark skin and showed me the beauty in it. They made me see that black is gorgeous.” She believes that black is powerful and can be beautiful just like any other color.

Prominent political figures have also supported her, including VD Satheesan, who praised her honesty and courage in discussing this matter.