The Indian Express ·
6 days after delivery, this Collector was back at work. Now, a break and a message: ‘It’s not a must’
On Tuesday, the District Collectorate office was witness to a heartwarming sight as Meghashree D R, the Collector of Wayanad district, brought along her three daughters, including the newborn, to her farewell ceremony.
It was a regular working day for Meghashree D R, the Collector of Kerala’s Wayanad district.
On August 24, she attended to her official duties and functions before calling it a day. But instead of heading home, she checked herself straight into a hospital.
The next day, Meghashree gave birth to her third daughter.
Barely six days later, she was back at work, resuming her responsibilities of the District Collector from her camp office.
On Wednesday, the 2017-batch IAS officer will finally proceed on her two-month maternity leave after handing over the charge to her successor, Chelsasini V.
On Tuesday, the District Collectorate office was witness to a heartwarming sight as Meghashree brought along her three daughters, including the newborn, to her farewell ceremony.
Even as she is being hailed for her sense of duty, Meghashree chooses to not make a big deal about her decision.
“The decision to continue discharging duties of the District Collector even after the delivery was personal. It is not mandatory that one takes maternity leave. The decision depends on an individual, her health and circumstances,” she tells The Indian Express.
Narrating her journey after becoming a mother for the third time, she says, “After the delivery on August 25, I took rest for five days and started working from the Collector’s camp office from September 1. There were several files, which demanded the sanction from the District Collector.”
Recently, Meghashree also held an online interaction with college students as part of her “Good Morning Collector” programme which she used to conduct regularly.
Meghashree is also active on social media, describing herself as an “IAS officer, wife, mother, proud daughter who finds happiness in the simple joys of life.”
On September 5, she posted a video on her Instagram page, showing a glimpse of her in the field and answering rapid fire questions. When asked about the single biggest game-changer for Wayanad district among tunnel, tourism and tribal empowerment, she answers, “All of it, in a way. Development, empowerment and conservation should go hand in hand.”
A native of Chitradurga in Karnataka, Meghashree assumed office as Wayanad District Collector on July 10, 2024, and led the rescue and relief operations following the landslide that struck the district on July 30.
Since then, she has been actively involved in the rehabilitation of the survivors, and construction of the new township.