Sarada Muraleedharan

Sarada Muraleedharan is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer with over three decades of distinguished public service, retiring as Kerala's Chief Secretary in 2025. Her career has focused on decentralized governance, poverty alleviation, rural livelihoods, gender equity, and community-led development. She has held key leadership positions including Executive Director of Kudumbashree, Principal Secretary of the Local Self Government Department, Chief Operating Officer of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, and Director General of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). She has played a pioneering role in strengthening local governance systems, empowering women through community institutions, advancing Sustainable Development Goals through local governments, and leading innovative initiatives in disaster management, waste management, climate resilience, and social inclusion. An alumnus of Kerala University, she holds BA and MA degrees in English Language and Literature.