Indian official’s public speech while holding child in arms sparks debate

‘I’m a 24x7 officer and a 24x7 mum,’ says Iyer

Kerala’s Pathanamthitta District Collector sparked an online debate after she delivered a speech at a public event holding her child in her arms (Facebook/District Collector Pathanamthitta)

An Indian official who took her son to a public event last week has sparked a debate on social media about professional duties and childcare in India.

Divya S Iyer, the district collector of Kerala state’s Pathanamthitta district, brought her three-and-a-half -year old son Malhar along with her to the valedictory ceremony of the sixth International Film Festival of Adoor on 30 October.

A video of the event was shared online by the deputy speaker of the state assembly, Chittayam Gopakumar, who was one of the organisers of the festival.

In the video shared by Mr Gopakumar on his Facebook page, Ms Iyer can be sitting on stage with her son on the final day of the three-day event.

She can then be seen walking up to the dais to make a speech, and then spontaneously picking up her son in her arms, after which the child can be seen putting his arms around her neck.

The video also shows him walking around the stage as she delivers her speech.

While the lawmaker had written in his post that Ms Iyer’s son “brought joy” to the event, he later deleted the video.

The images sparked a debate on whether Ms Iyer should have brought her child along to an event where she was appearing in an official capacity.

Several users criticised Ms Iyer for mixing her professional duties with her parental care. But she also received praise from many who said that actions like hers should be normalised, rather than criticised.

“The reactions were like a bolt from the blue,” Ms Iyer was quoted as saying to the BBC.

She added that “it was not an official event” and that she “never thought that there would be two ways to look at it”.

“I believe that taking children to places where they don’t normally go helps broaden their horizon and enables them to grow up in a wholesome fashion,” she said.

“I’m a 24x7 officer and a 24x7 mum. We have multiple roles and I can’t shun any of them. I have to find an equilibrium to take both along together and find work-life balance. What I’m trying to understand is why some people found it hard to accept?” she said.

She also received support from her husband KS Sabarinadhan, former legislator and Youth Congress state vice-president.

In a Facebook post Mr Sabarinadhan said on 3 November: “Working mothers do not need anyone’s sympathy. But, the society should give them a positive space to work.”

Later, writing in The Indian Express, he said that “workspaces needed to change and become more accommodating,” and pointed out that New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern had brought her infant to the UN General Assembly and Australian senator Larissa Waters had breastfed her baby in parliament.

Ms Iyer has said that “the biggest positive outcome” out of the incident is that it triggered a conversation.