BENGALURU: Paralympic badminton gold medallist Chethan’s joy knew no bounds when he got his job at Vidhana Soudha back. The World Dwarf Games champion was reinstated following The New Indian Express’ report (dated November 21, 2019, headlined ‘Life turns upside down after short-stint jobs: First transgender employee of Vidhana Soudha’) on how his world had turned upside down after he lost his job, along with around 20 others, when the new government came to power in July.
The Rajyotsava awardee said, “I’m overjoyed and can’t thank TNIE enough for the favour it did me by writing that article. I got a call immediately from the office of the secretary to the government, Labour Department, and was asked to send my resume along with my previous office records,” said Chethan R.
IAS officer P Manivannan, secretary to the government, Labour Department, called the situation “unfortunate”, and had said he would definitely consider the case and appoint him if his records are clear.
Chethan has been appointed at the Information Department in the Media Centre’s telegram section.
“I have also been given a salary of Rs 25,000, I’m very happy about it. I will always be greatful to TNIE and to Manivannan sir,” Chethan said.
Chethan, the son of a farmer from Hassan with stunted growth due to hormonal problems, had stopped playing after suffering from a spinal cord injury. With great difficulty, he had managed to get a job in March 2019 as an assistant information officer at the Information Department. However, he lost his job in July, and was forced to run from department to department to meet higher-ups and ask for a job.