KOCHI: In a major bureaucratic reshuffle, Ernakulam district collector N S K Umesh has been appointed director of general education, with additional charge as managing director of the Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC).
Palakkad collector G Priyanka will replace Umesh as head of the Ernakulam district adminstration. Umesh’s two-and-a-half-year tenure in Ernakulam was marked by high-pressure crises and active administrative intervention.
A 2014-batch officer, Umesh took charge in March 2023, stepping in during one of the worst environmental emergencies in the district — the Brahmapuram dumpyard fire. The blaze, which caused widespread pollution and panic in Kochi city, was his first major challenge as collector.
His handling of the crisis — including coordination with multiple departments, rapid deployment of fire control measures, and subsequent efforts to revamp the waste management system — won him praise and set the tone for a tenure defined by crisis management and developmental work.
During his stint, he also dealt with critical situations such as the Kalamassery bomb blast and the Cusat stampede. His coordination of Operation Breakthrough, aimed at mitigating urban flooding in Kochi, was another key achievement.
For these and other initiatives, Umesh received multiple recognitions — including the ‘Best Collector’ award from the state revenue survey department in 2024, the National Human Rights and Humanitarian Federation (NHRF) award in 2025, and the ‘Best Election Officer’ award for his conduct of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Prior to his posting in Ernakulam, Umesh served as staff officer to the chief secretary and as sub-collector in Wayanad, where he was noted for his relief work during the 2018 floods.
“In the two and a half years he served as district collector, he stood out as a hardworking and highly cooperative officer,” Kochi mayor M Anilkumar said in a social media post. “His constant enthusiasm, coordination and timely interventions contributed immensely to the district’s development. His transfer is a huge loss for Kochi city.”
A 2017-batch officer, Priyanka took over as Palakkad collector in February 2025. Known for her proactive approach, she has also served as director of the social justice department, director of women and child development department, and sub-collector of Kozhikode.
Grandhe Saikrishna new Fort Kochi sub-collector
Meanwhile, Fort Kochi sub-collector K Meera has been transferred as director of the survey and land records department. She had earlier received the ‘Best Sub-Collector’ award in 2024 from the state revenue survey department.
Grandhe Saikrishna, a 2023-batch officer, will replace her.