![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/divya-s-iyer-kerala-ias-officers-speech-with-child-in-arms-sparks-debate/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/127570144_whatsappimage2022-11-09at10.51.54am.jpg&description=Image source, Courtesy: Divya S IyerImage caption, Divya S Iyer with her son Malhar at the film festival on 30 OctoberLast week, a video of a civil servant in the southern Indian state of Kerala holding her three-year-old son in her arms while delivering a speech at an event went viral, starting off a lively debate on social media. The BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi reports.Years ago, when my son was young, I would sometimes take him to work, especially on a weekend or a holiday.I once took him along to interview a minister I'd been trying to speak to for days and when his office called to confirm time on my day off, I immediately accepted.The minister was delighted to see a little boy turn up at his office - he made small talk with him and asked his staff to bring him a snack and a drink. This was not the only instance I took him to work. And over the years, I've seen many colleagues at the BBC bring their children to the office. No-one's ever batted an eyelid because in India childcare is mostly the responsibility of mothers and juggling work and home is the reality of a majority of working women. Many Indian companies are introducing child-friendly policies to retain more women in the workforce and some countries, such as the US and Canada, even have a national day when parents are encouraged to bring children to work.So the debate that was sparked off when Divya S Iyer, who serves as the collector of Pathanamthitta district, took her toddler to the closing ceremony of a film festival on the evening of 30 October has surprised many.Ms Iyer told me that this was not the first work event she had taken her son to "but this somehow went viral and took an expected turn and garnered all kinds of opinions". "I took Malhar along because it was Sunday, a day I usually spend with him. He'd been playing outside for over half an hour when he spotted me on the dais and came running towards me," she said, adding that "what happened next was a spontaneous reaction of a mother and){kind=link}
Last week, a video of a civil servant in the southern Indian state of Kerala holding her three-year-old son in her arms while delivering a speech at an event went viral, starting off a lively debate on social media. The BBC’s Geeta Pandey in Delhi reports.
Years ago, when my son was young, I would sometimes take him to work, especially on a weekend or a holiday.
I once took him along to interview a minister I’d been trying to speak to for days and when his office called to confirm time on my day off, I immediately accepted.
The minister was delighted to see a little boy turn up at his office – he made small talk with him and asked his staff to bring him a snack and a drink.
This was not the only instance I took him to work. And over the years, I’ve seen many colleagues at the BBC bring their children to the office. No-one’s ever batted an eyelid because in India childcare is mostly the responsibility of mothers and juggling work and home is the reality of a majority of working women.