During the Covid pandemic, when administrative bodies across the world were facing unprecedented challenges, the Ernakulam district administration in Kerala did something extraordinary. It set up what was to become known as India’s first ‘oxygen war room’.

The facility set up at the Nehru International Stadium in Kaloor by mid-2021 was the hub of all the planning and execution of urgent decisions for providing timely treatment for COVID-19 patients.

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The war room managed data collection, patient shifting, and an uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen. Behind it was the vision of the then-district collector S Suhas, IAS, who believes that technology should be used for effective administration.

The electronics engineer-turned-civil service officer also believes that an administrator should always be aware of the grievances of the public. This fundamental philosophy was evident in the initiatives he took up right from his first posting as the assistant collector in Fort Kochi and throughout his stints as the district collector of Wayanad, Alappuzha and Ernakulam.

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Be it the 'Zero Dropout Wayanad,' addressing tribal student dropouts, or 'Operation Breakthrough,' tackling urban flooding in Kochi city, those initiatives have the Suhas signature on them.

After his much-appreciated stint as the Ernakulam collector, he was assigned to the post of managing director at Cochin International Airport in 2021. He has also been the MD of the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) since then, handling two key roles that testify to his high-profile managerial skills.

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At CIAL, the IAS officer has been focussing on improving the infrastructure and passenger convenience, adding to the fame the airport has earned over the years.  

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