Farewell Followed by Promotion: Two Retirements in 24 Hours Make Bindu’s Exit a Surprise
On her final working day at the Kannur Government Engineering College, Accounts Officer Bindu R. Panicker from Cherthala received an unexpected promotion order that changed the course of her retirement. She had finished her service at the college on May 30, unaware that an official posting order was about to arrive. About half an hour after she left the campus and while heading to her accommodation, a WhatsApp message informed her that she had been promoted and was expected to assume charge the next day at the Thrissur Government Engineering College as Administrative Assistant.
The sudden message came through the Technical Education Department’s e-office system, but because the order was issued late, it was sent via WhatsApp. Bindu had just received a warm farewell from her colleagues and was preparing to return to her native place, Cherthala, when the instruction reached her. The timing created immediate confusion, since May 31 was a Sunday. Wondering how she could take charge on a holiday, she quickly contacted the Directorate of Technical Education in Thiruvananthapuram and then called the superintendent of Thrissur Engineering College. By then, the directorate’s instruction had already reached the superintendent.
Bindu had already booked a ticket on the Maveli Express for the night journey back to Cherthala. Instead, she boarded the same train and got down at Thrissur. A relative met her at the station late at night and took her along. Following the superintendent’s direction, a clerk came to the college office on Sunday morning and opened it so that she could formally join duty. At 10 a.m. on Sunday, Bindu assumed charge as Administrative Assistant at Thrissur Engineering College. By 5 p.m. that evening, her service ended again as part of her retirement. In effect, she experienced two retirements within 24 hours.
Although Bindu had been expecting a promotion, she had reportedly lost hope by mid-May. Even so, she says she is happy that the promotion order reached her in time for her to retire in a higher post. The unusual sequence meant that she completed her career with the dignity of an upgraded position, despite the delayed administrative process.
Bindu is the daughter of the late Ramachandra Panicker and Lalithambika Devi of Teertham in Pattankad, Cherthala. Her husband is retired military officer Anilkumar. The couple has two children, Vaishakh and Dr. Vaishna Shyam. Her story has drawn attention for the rare and unusual circumstance of receiving a promotion on the very day she retired, with the official order arriving just hours after she had left her previous post.
