CHENNAI: ‘What’s in a name’, goes a popular phrase. However, it is not as simple as it sounds, when one goes by the experience of this transgender from western Tamil Nadu.
A writ plea has been made in the Madras High Court to declare 25-year-old transgender Pradeep Kumar as Prithika Yashini, and for a direction to the education authorities to effect the necessary changes in her educational certificates.
After a sex change surgery in 2011, Pradeep Kumar had become Prithika Yashini and published the same in the gazette. She had also made the changes in all official documents, including the identity card and passport.
However, whenever she applied for a job, she was constantly rejected for the simple reason that there was a difference between the names found in the educational certificates and the application and other documents.
When the matter came up on Friday, Additional Government Pleader P Sanjay Gandhi told Justice TS Sivagnanam that the court may pass a suitable order. The judge directed the School Education Secretary, Government Examination Director and the Bharathiyar University in Coimbatore and Periyar University in Salem to consider the request from Yashini and dispose of her representation within eight weeks.
According to petitioner, he was born as a male and was named as K Pradeep Kumar in Salem. After his schooling, he obtained degree from the Periyar University in April, 2011. He did his PG course with the Bharathiyar University in May 2012.
Before going for his under-graduate course, he noticed certain changes in his physique and behaviour. A confused Kumar consulted a doctor, who told him he was a transgender. For no fault on his part, he had to face a heinous situation. As his parents could not accept that he was a transgender, he left his home. He came to Chennai and underwent a sex re-assignment surgery in November 2011 at the KMC hospital. In October, 2013, she declared her name as Prithika Yashini in the TN gazette.
However, whenever she applied for jobs, the employers constantly rejected her candidature because of the difference in the names in the educational certificates and other documents. Hence, the present petition.