Divya S. Iyer

Dr. Divya Sesha Iyer IAS (born 16 October 1984) is an Indian bureaucrat, medical doctor, editor, and author who is part of the Indian Administrative Service in Kerala. She is the managing director of Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram. She previously has held the posts of District Collector of Pathanamthitta and Mission Director of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA.

Early life and education

Iyer was born on 16 October 1984. She hails from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. She is the elder daughter of Sesha Iyer, who is a retired Indian Space Research Organisation employee, and Bhagavathy Ammal, a State Bank of Travancore employee.

Iyer did her schooling at Holy Angel's Convent Thiruvananthapuram. She scored second rank in SSLC examination conducted by Kerala Board of Public Examinations. She completed her 11th and 12th from the St. Thomas Central School, Trivandrum. She then got her medical degree from the Christian Medical College Vellore.

Career

Iyer was a doctor before she began her civil service career and continues to practice medicine. She joined IAS in 2014 and was assistant collector at Kottayam before becoming Sub-Collector of Thiruvananthapuram.

In 2016, as the nodal officer of Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) under the Election Commission and assistant collector in Kottayam, Iyer created a voter awareness campaign with the motto "My Vote My Future" to help improve voter turnout. In 2016, she also wrote and sang the song 'Viral thumbil Nammude Bhaavi' to promote awareness of voting rights and to encourage voting, which was released during a press conference by the District Collector.

In 2018, Iyer was transferred from her role as Sub-Collector to Deputy Secretary in the Local Self-Government Department.

Mission Director of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA

Iyer then served as the Mission Director of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS). In this role, she was named one of the ''Kerala Insider'' 50 Most Influential People of 2020, due to her prominent role in the #BreakTheChain awareness campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic.

District Collector

On 12 July 2021, Iyer became the 36th district collector of Pathanamthitta. In August 2021, she said she plans to continue measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as development of the district and measures that promote the empowerment of women.

In 2021, following the decision of the State government to award title deeds to farmers in Konni following decades of protests, Iyer prepared and submitted a report with forest division officers as part of the process to distribute the deeds.

In December 2021, Iyer distributed gender neutral school uniforms to the students of Government Tribal LP School Attathodu in Ranni of Pathanamthitta district in Kerala.

In 2021 and 2022, Iyer and district police chief R Nishanthini helped coordinate the annual Sabarimala pilgrimage, and did not attempt to enter the temple.

In June 2022, a video of Iyer attending an official function with her toddler went viral on social media. Responding to both support and criticism, she stated, “I am a 24x7 mother and a 24x7 District Collector,” emphasizing that her roles as a parent and as an administrative officer cannot be separated.

Divya took part in a flash mob with students of Catholicate College, as part of the MG University Union Arts Festival.

Managing Director of Vizhinjam International Seaport

In October 2023, Divya S. Iyer was appointed as the managing director of Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL), succeeding Adeela Abdulla. In this role, she oversees the strategic development and operational management of the Vizhinjam International Transshipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport, which is expected to significantly reduce India's reliance on foreign ports for transshipment.The port, developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, is designed to handle container transshipment, break bulk cargo, and multi-purpose shipments. The first phase of the project, with a handling capacity of 1 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), began trial operations in July 2024, with full-scale commercial operations expected by December 2024.

Under Iyer’s leadership, the port aims to integrate sustainable practices, enhance logistical efficiencies, and boost India’s maritime trade competitiveness. The Adani Group’s ports division has committed an additional $1.2 billion to expand the port’s capacity to 3 million TEU by 2028.

Her appointment was part of a broader administrative reshuffle in Kerala, which saw the reassignment of several district collectors and key officials. Her leadership is expected to play a crucial role in establishing Vizhinjam as a major maritime hub for global trade.

Director of the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP)

In October 2023, Divya S. Iyer was appointed as the Director of the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP). The project, partially funded by the World Bank with an estimated outlay of ₹2,300 crore, aims to develop an integrated and sustainable framework for managing municipal solid waste across Kerala’s urban local bodies. In her capacity as Director, Iyer oversees policy formulation, resource allocation, and the adoption of modern waste-processing technologies, including biomining and material recovery facilities.

Under Iyer’s leadership, KSWMP has emphasized decentralized waste management systems, involving community-level participation and collaboration with local self-governing institutions. This approach is intended to reduce environmental impact and public health risks by minimizing the accumulation of untreated waste in landfills. The project also integrates awareness campaigns, capacity-building programs for municipal staff, and partnerships with private entities to promote innovative waste-to-energy solutions.

Iyer’s appointment to the project was announced alongside her designation as Managing Director of the Vizhinjam International Seaport, forming part of a broader administrative restructuring that reassigned several district collectors. Through her dual roles, she is credited with fostering a cross-sectoral approach to sustainable development in Kerala, particularly by aligning large-scale infrastructure projects with environmental stewardship.

Published works

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Awards and achievements

In January 2023, Dr. Divya S. Iyer, then serving as the District Collector of Pathanamthitta, received the Excellence in Good Governance Award for top-performing district collectors in India, presented by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

In 2020, she was listed among the 50 Most Influential People of Kerala by the digital platform ''Kerala Insider'' for her leadership in the #BreakTheChain campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting her role in public health initiatives.

In 2019, Dr. Divya S. Iyer was honored with the Daughters are Precious award in recognition of her commitment to social welfare and her contributions to public administration.

Filmography

Discography

Personal life

On 30 June 2017, Iyer married Congress MLA representing Aruvikkara constituency, K. S. Sabarinadhan in Kumarakovil, a temple at Thuckalay in Kanyakumari district, becoming the first MLA-IAS couple in Kerala. On 9 March 2019, she gave birth to a baby boy.

G. Karthikeyan, former Minister and speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly is her father-in-law.

References

External links

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Divyas' Ted talk video about her career
(YouTube)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iyer, Divya S.
1984 births
Living people
21st-century Indian medical doctors
21st-century Indian writers
Medical doctors from Thiruvananthapuram
Indian women medical doctors
Medical doctors from Kerala
Indian Administrative Service officers from Kerala
Civil servants from Kerala
District magistrate
Malayalam-language writers
21st-century Indian women writers