Kochi: G Priyanka, IAS, took charge as Ernakulam district collector on Thursday, replacing NSK Umesh, who has been transferred as director of general education. Priyanka is the third woman collector of Ernakulam after Dr M Beena and Dr Renu Raj.

A 2017 batch IAS officer, Priyanka, was the Palakkad collector before moving to Ernakulam. She has also served as Kozhikode sub-collector, director of the social justice department and director of the women and child development department.

She is an engineering graduate and a post-graduate in public management and public administration. Priyanka was received at the collectorate by officials led by Assistant Collector Parvathy Gopakumar and Additional District Magistrate Vinod Raj. She took charge from Umesh in the presence of Antony John MLA, district panchayat president Manoj Moothedan, deputy collectors and district heads of various departments.