Last Updated: 24th July, 2022
Srijana Gummalla: In an inspiring incident, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer gave up her six-month maternity leave and returned to work and fight amid Coronavirus COVID-19 Crisis within just a month of giving birth.
Srijana Gummalla, who passed out with the 2013 IAS Officer batch and is currently serving as Commissioner of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) in Andhra Pradesh, gave birth earlier in the year.
Srijana Gummalla, IAS Officer, the young mother, however, was back at work within just a week with the baby in tow. Images of her clutching her newborn baby in her arms while working in her office went viral.
Chiguru Prashanth Kumar on Twitter
An extraordinary feather of @IASassociation. 2013 batch IAS Mrs @GummallaSrijana Commissioner @GVMC_OFFICIAL refused to take 06 months maternal leave and joined back her office with one month old baby in lap. Truly inspiring to all #CoronaWarriors #COVID__19
Gumalla responded to the tweet, stating that she was exercising all the necessary precautions to ensure the baby was properly cared for even at work. “Thanks for the kind words Prashanth garu,” she wrote in response. “Following every precaution with baby. I keep the baby with me in a very protected environment for feeding and nurturing,” she more significantly added.
The tweet has been going viral for all the logical reasons. Many saluted the officer’s spirit and dedication for her work.
The incident comes amid rising deaths due to Coronavirus COVID-19 Crisis in the country. Affirmative cases in India crossed 8,500+ on Sunday with total deaths mounting to 273.
This news might be viral, but one thing if you or we must understand, that not only Srijana Gummalla but thousands of the unnamed ‘Warriors’ who are actually out there, to make us safe at home. If we can really understand their concern, effort and dedication, which will be enough to award their dignity. Rather than loitering on roads to show-off how we can break the #LockDown, #CoronaWarriors and falsely justify the fake heroism.
