KOCHI: Sruthy Sithara never thought she could be this happy. Representing India at the Ms Trans Global Universe pageant for the past six months, she hoped to be one of the top five candidates. But destiny had other plans for the newly-crowned queen.
On December 1 around 1am, she received her award through an online event. “I’m so happy, excited. I never expected such a feat. I have been preparing and participating in the competition for months. And now, it all has ended on such a high note,” an excited Sruthy says. People from all over the world, especially her friends and family are congratulating her on her global stardom. “I was in Vaikom, my hometown, today. All around, everyone is happy for me,” says her.
“Since the competition had been going for so long, the participants have been keeping in contact through social media groups. We couldn’t meet physically as the pageant was held online this year. It would have been much more exciting to meet everyone in London, where the pageant was supposed to take place. But that didn’t affect the camaraderie or the pressure. I think online was much tougher to pull off,” she says.
Sruthy has also crowned the Most Eloquent Queen at the pageant. Ms Trans Global from the Philippines and Canada secured the places of the first runner up and the second runner up, respectively.
Sruthy was earlier a part of the transgender cell at the Social Justice Department. Now, the model-artist works to spread the word on equity and queer rights. She speaks at various schools and colleges as part of the department’s reach out programmes.
Sruthy recently started an online campaign called The Kaleidoscope with her friends to normalise the rights of the LGBTQ community and create public acceptance towards queer relationships. “We want the world to know we are normal and are an equal part of society. Many people, who are scared to come out have been approaching me about their struggles.
I hope we can give them hope and courage to live their lives freely. I hope this crown helps me in these endeavours,” Sruthy says. Sruthy dedicated her crown to her late mother and her friend first transgender radio jockey Anannyah Kumari Alex, who died by suicide a couple of months ago alleging medical negligence by doctors of a hospital in Kochi.