V Venu might be succeeded as Chief Secretary by his spouse Sarada Muraleedharan (File)
Thiruvananthapuram:
A spouse is succeeding her IAS officer husband because the Chief Secretary of Kerala, a primary within the state’s historical past.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan pointed to this uncommon prevalence on Friday in the course of the farewell ceremony organised for outgoing Chief Secretary V Venu, who will retire from authorities service on August 31.
Venu might be succeeded as Chief Secretary by his spouse Sarada Muraleedharan, who at the moment holds the submit of Extra Chief Secretary.
Mr Vijayan recalled many cases within the state the place {couples}, each of whom had been within the civil service, have transferred the duties of Collector from one to the opposite.
He stated that there have additionally been cases the place each husband and spouse have headed departments and change into chief secretaries at completely different instances.
“Nonetheless, that is the primary time within the historical past of Kerala that the submit of Chief Secretary has been handed over by the husband to his spouse,” he stated.
On this uncommon transition within the state’s bureaucratic historical past, Muraleedharan stated it was an odd second for her as she bids adieu to her husband who will retire on August 31.
She stated that each of them labored collectively as civil servants for 34 years, however she by no means gave a lot thought to the truth that they won’t go away the service collectively.
“Now I’m a bit anxious as I’ve to proceed in service for one more eight months after his retirement,” she stated.
The Extra Chief Secretary, in her welcome handle, additionally stated that her husband not too long ago in an interview remarked that the Chief Minister was probably the most skilled leaders in energy that Kerala has seen.
The Chief Minister, in his speech bidding farewell to Venu, praised him for the work he did in numerous departments within the state authorities through the years.
“A medical physician, dramatist, bureaucrat and a outstanding persona in lots of capacities. This can be a speciality that’s not frequent to peculiar civil servants. He was capable of advance each creative and administrative work,” Mr Vijayan stated.
Venu, in his farewell speech, stated that whereas he was steadily feeling a way of reduction as he put aside the burden he was carrying, he too was anxious when he considered leaving a protracted acquainted world of presidency service to that of a non-public citizen.
He stated that when working as a authorities official, “We regularly overlook that there might be a life after this”.
“Normally, authorities officers get a while a few months earlier than their retirement to fulfill buddies, put issues so as… However, tomorrow I’ve to tomorrow go to the workplace, my final day in service, maintain my final evaluate assembly and hand over numerous tasks to others earlier than I retire,” he stated.
The outgoing Chief Secretary additionally stated that as he appears to be like again at his years of service, he was lucky to have been capable of work with and be taught from the shining stars within the socio-political sphere of the state.
He additionally recounted his experiences working with numerous political leaders, together with former Kerala Chief Minister E Ok Nayanar, through the years.
Venu additionally stated that he bought to be taught so much from Chief Minsiter Vijayan, whom he known as a ‘guru’, as he was a pillar of help and a supply of steering whereas coping with the fallout of the latest devastating landslides in Wayanad district of the state.
“I’ve discovered so much from him,” he added.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)