Sure, India is much more progressive compared to some other nations when it comes to the rights of transgender and the LGBTQ community as a whole. But still, on the ground level, things aren’t very progressive and people aren’t very accepting of transgender people. Times were even tougher a few years ago when there were very limited rights for LGBTQ members. But even in those tough times, there were some Indian transgenders who made it big and rose to fame because of what they achieved in life and what they did for the betterment of the community. Let’s have a look at the top 10 famous Indian transgender you should know. Here we go.
1. Padmini Prakash
Guess who was the first-ever transgender news reporter in India? Well, meet Padmini Prakash, a real leader who we must introduce to you all. Padmini was born into a strict family and had to deal with rejection and hard times from a very young age. At age 13, she even tried to kill herself. But she didn’t let that make her who she was. Instead, she made history in 2014 when she became a news reporter for Lotus TV in Coimbatore during prime time. Her story isn’t just about how she got into the media, it’s about breaking down the barriers for all transgender people in India.
2. K Prithika Yashini
Just think about having to fight for your own identity. That’s what K. Prithika Yashini did to become the first transgender police officer in India. Prithika was born a boy, but she always knew she was a girl. She had to go through a lot of legal trouble to become a sub-inspector in Tamil Nadu, but she won when the Madras High Court decided in her favor. Prithika’s appointment in 2017 isn’t just a personal win, it’s also a sign of hope for the Indian police force’s ability to be more open to everyone, you know?
3. Dr. Manabi Bandopadhyay
Not only is Dr. Manabi Bandopadhyay a director, but she’s also a leader. Manabi, who was born as Somnath in 1966, dealt with pressures from family and society head-on. She had surgery to change her gender in 2003 and later became India’s first transgender person to get a PhD in Bengali literature. She broke through another barrier when she became the head of West Bengal’s Krishnagar Women’s College in 2015. Aside from school though, she published India’s first transgender magazine, “Ob-Manab,” which encouraged many people to follow their goals despite social challenges, you know?
4. Laxmi Narayan Tripathi
Now, for sure, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi is a name that needs respect, and you’ll know why when we talk about what she went through. She was abused and discriminated against because she was born into a Brahmin family, but she used those things to drive her activism. Though, as of 2008, Laxmi was the first transgender person to speak for the Asia-Pacific region at the UN. She created the “Astitva” trust and “Kinnar Akhada,” which were first at the Kumbh Mela. In her book, “Me Hijra, Me Laxmi,” she tells the truth about her life and fights for transgender rights to be more accepted and protected by the law.
5. Joyita Mondal
The fact that Joyita Mondal was made India’s first transgender judge shows how dedicated she is. Joyita grew up in a conservative community and faced injustice early on, but she never gave up on her quest for justice. She made history when she was named a judge at the Lok Adalat in North Bengal in October 2017.
6. Sathyasri Sharmila
Sathyasri Sharmila was India’s first transgender lawyer, breaking new ground in the legal field. She was born in Tamil Nadu and had to deal with a lot of racism, but she chose to become a lawyer to fight for justice and equality. She joined the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in June 2018, which was a big step forward. Sathyasri uses her law knowledge to fight for underrepresented groups, showing that strength can get past social obstacles.
7. Nitasha Biswas
Nitasha Biswas is bold and determined. In 2017, she became India’s first transgender beauty queen. Nitasha was born in Kolkata and had to deal with rejection and abuse, but she fully accepted who she was. Her win in the Miss Transqueen India pageant made her famous and brought attention to the fact that transgender people need to be more accepted in normal society. Many transgender people want to be models, and Nitasha’s success shows that having faith in yourself can help you get through anything, no matter what.
8. Akkai Padmashali
Akkai Padmashali is a human rights activist who has spent her whole life working for the rights of transgender people. She was born in Bengaluru and had to deal with a lot of abuse and discrimination. But she used what she went through to become an advocate. Though, as a sex worker, Akkai saw a lot of sexual abuse and decided to join Sangama, an organization that helps sexual minorities.
9. Madhu Bai Kinnar
Madhu Bai Kinnar was India’s first transgender mayor, which was a big deal. She was born into a low-caste family and had to deal with both sexism and racism, but she wanted more. At first, Madhu made money by singing and dancing on trains. She then ran for office to serve her community. Later on in life, against a BJP candidate, she won the 2015 election for mayor of Raigarh, Chhattisgarh.
10. Jiya Das
And those who don’t know, Jiya Das is India’s first transgender operating room (OT) worker, which is a big step forward in the medical field. Jiya was born in Kolkata and had to deal with bias as she went to school to become a medical technician. Even though she had problems at work, she was hired as an OT worker in June 2018. All in all, her story shows how important education and professional training are for giving people in marginalized communities more options.
Conclusion
There you have it. Things are changing in India, and now transgender people are more accepted in the society. Somewhere in that, there is the contribution of these top 10 famous Indian transgender, who have done a phenomenal job at showing everyone they have what it takes to be successful and impactful.
