TIRUCHY: When a young transgender law student arrived in Tiruchy with nowhere to stay, Riyana Suree opened the doors of her home. For another transgender woman struggling to find employment after completing her postgraduate degree, she found a sponsor to help her pursue higher education. Having experienced rejection herself, the 36-year-old has made it her mission to ensure that others do not have to fight their battles alone.
Her journey, however, has been far from easy. A postgraduate degree did not guarantee her a job, while her passion for dance failed to bring her students. Even expressing her identity at family functions required someone to stand up for her. Today, through the Thiru Aval Trust, she is creating opportunities for others to access education, employment and a life of dignity.
Born in Dindigul in 1990, and brought up in Tiruchy, Riyana began recognising herself as a girl at 12, though her journey as a transgender woman formally began in 2006. Her father, D Soosai Sagayam, worked in the cooperative sector, and her mother, Insiya Mary, is a homemaker. Her father has since passed away, while her elder brother works in the government service.
Acceptance within the family was gradual. Initially, she was not allowed to dress as a woman during family events. Her sister-in-law, Gayathri Lenin, played a key role in helping the family understand and accept her identity.
The experience resonated with her while watching the 2026 film ‘Dorothy’, which portrays a sister-in-law supporting a transgender woman in discovering her identity. Reminded of Gayathri’s support, Riyana even messaged the film’s team, appreciating the portrayal.
Academically accomplished, Riyana completed her bachelor’s degree in physics at St Joseph’s College, Tiruchy and her postgraduate degree at Jamal Mohamed College.
She had also won several dance competitions. However, when she approached two or three private firms, including some in the IT sector, for a job in 2013, she faced repeated rejections. The experience made her stop approaching other organisations.
She subsequently joined the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (Tansacs) as an outreach worker under a government programme, earning Rs 8,000 monthly. She continued for over eight years, supplementing her income through dance performances and teaching.
“Many people initially showed interest in joining my dance classes. But once they came to know that I was a transgender woman, several backed out,” she recalled. She also attempted TNPSC Group IV and railway recruitment examinations but could not clear them.
An unexpected opportunity came in 2018 when a photographer spotted her Facebook photographs and approached her for a photoshoot. The pictures gained attention, opening doors to modelling assignments and beauty pageants.
She participated in Miss Trichy, Miss Koovagam, Miss Trans Queen India and Miss South India Trans, among others, before winning the Miss Universe Trans India 2023 title in New Delhi. Today, she mentors contestants and conducts interview sessions as the national director.
Meanwhile, she began Thiru Aval Trust in 2019, which was officially registered in 2022. During the Covid-19 period, she and her associates distributed food to transgender persons and others in need. This initiative expanded to education, livelihood and medical assistance. Around 30 transgender persons are associated with the trust.
One major move involves connecting transgender students with sponsors. S Sayeesha (27) from Tiruchy, completed her MSc, BEd and teacher training with Riyana’s help in finding a sponsor.
Despite attending several interviews, she remains unable to secure a private school job and is preparing for government examinations, including TNPSC. “Although my family has accepted me, coming from an orthodox Muslim background, society has not. I have completed my studies and teacher training, but finding a job remains difficult,” Sayeesha said.
Riyana also offered her home to Joshka Jasmine (30) from Thanjavur, who came to study at Government Law College, Tiruchy, but had nowhere to stay. She helped Joshka find educational sponsors too. Initially aspiring to become a model, Joshka chose law to serve the transgender community and work towards equal access to justice. She has been practising for two years and affectionately calls Riyana her ‘mummy’.
Joshka and Sowmiya Shashu (37), also from Thanjavur, were recently honoured at the 2026 convocation after graduating in 2024. They were the first transgender graduates to receive the honour since the college’s establishment in 1980.
“We have been demanding horizontal reservation for the past 15 years and urge the state government to implement it,” Joshka said. The trust’s livelihood initiatives include running a restaurant for three years between 2021 and 2023, employing five transgender persons.
It also distributes surplus food from functions and provides medical assistance, including to transgender persons living with HIV.
Riyana now hopes to involve more organisations and create opportunities in creative industries. In association with Iravi Trust, she is planning an LGBTQ-themed fashion runway in Tiruchy to showcase transgender talent. “When I did not get an opportunity, I wanted to create one for someone else. That is the thought behind our efforts through the Thiru Aval Trust to support education, employment and livelihood,” she says.
For Riyana, the greatest reward is not the titles she has won but seeing others overcome the barriers she faced. “The greatest satisfaction comes from seeing someone facing challenges like mine complete their education, get a job and live with self-respect,” she says.
(Edited by Subhalakshmi PR)