Top bureaucrat reveals skin tone remarks made by high-profile person

Kerala Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, who is set to retire on April 30, has disclosed that the derogatory comment about her skin tone was made bv a "high-profile" individual. She has chosen not to reveal the identity of the person involved.
In a television interview, Muraleedharan stated that the individual had not reached out or expressed remorse over the comment. “Both of us interacted in a very friendly manner even after that, but the person has not talked about the issue,” she said.
The senior IAS officer had earlier stirred debate through a Facebook post addressing societal prejudices based on complexion and gender. The post gained attention after she recounted being subjected to a comment comparing her work to that of her husband and former chief secretary V Venu, stating, "It is as black as my husband's was white".
Muraleedharan confirmed that the comment came from someone holding significant public stature but chose not to clarify whether it was a politician or a top bureaucrat. She noted that the individual had not contacted her or expressed any regret over his remarks.
Following her post, Muraleedharan received calls from many individuals across different backgrounds, offering support and sharing their own experiences of facing similar discrimination.
In her Facebook post, she reflected on deep-seated biases against darker skin tones and shared a childhood anecdote about asking her mother to make her fair-skinned. She admitted to having internalised society’s preference for fairness, feeling inadequate because of it. However, she credited her children with helping her unlearn those biases, as they took pride in their skin tone and saw beauty where she once saw none.
Muraleedharan emphasised the need to confront societal colour and gender biases. She highlighted that even at the top of the bureaucracy, there is a question of who gets to speak most, who gets to interrupt, and who gets to be heard. She pointed out that people of lighter skin colour are considered beautiful, acceptable, and efficient, adding that society’s attitude towards those who are darker should change. Open URL