Mayor Arya Rajendran's pic with newborn sparks debate on gender roles

Thiruvananthapuram: A photograph of the Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran working with her newborn on her lap has once again kick-started a discussion on motherhood and gender roles.

The picture, which shows the mayor checking files with her one-month-old baby, has gone viral on social media.

While many glorified the mayor for maintaining a work-life balance, others have criticised the public for assuming that a mother was the primary caregiver in a family. Meanwhile, several others dismissed the picture as a photo op.

Arya Rajendran married Balussery MLA Sachin Dev on September 2022. While Rajendran is the youngest mayor in the country, Dev is the youngest MLA in the current Kerala Assembly. The couple was blessed with a baby girl 'Dua Dev' on August 10. The mayor's office was flooded with well wishers when she resumed work last week.

Last year, IAS officer Divya S Iyer had sparked a debate when she brought her son to a public function and addressed the gathering with child in her arms.