PUDUCHERRY: On a sunny afternoon in Ariyankuppam, a gentle hum of conversation fills M Girija’s modest home in Puducherry. A room is temporarily transformed into a gathering space as she hosts her monthly meeting with members of the Annalakshmi Trust – an organisation set up and spearheaded by her to provide job opportunities to transwomen.
“My life journey was not a cakewalk,” Girija recounts — a narrative woven with threads of adversity, endurance, and remarkable transformation. She recalls her childhood, marked by the challenges of being the third child in a family of five. “I was forced to leave school due to bullying during my early stages of transition. I worked as a wage labourer in factories for three to four years in my teenage years. Since my family didn’t accept my natural transformation, I left for Mumbai when I was 18,” she recounts.
Five years later, Girija returned home, having survived her time in Mumbai, only to find that her family’s attitude had remained unchanged. “We first need support from our families. Only then will society stand with us,” she reflects. Time, however, worked its magic and softened her family’s stance. “Now they talk to me and invite me for function.”
Society was never kind to Girija, but that did not falter her commitment to serve the community, which found an outlet through social work. In 2017, she founded a trust to support transwomen, which made a significant difference in the lives of the elderly, the poor, and the sanitation worker community during the testing times of the Covid-19 pandemic — providing them with medicines and food. Challenges continued to persist after an expired registration forced her to re-establish the organisation under a new name, Annalakshmi, in 2024.
“Many transwomen are forced into begging or other activities because jobs remain out of reach, even for the qualified among us.” Today, a tailoring training centre operates from her rooftop — a newly built shed sheltering a group of 15 transwomen trainees and five sewing machines. With the help of sponsors and a dedicated teacher, the centre offers not only vocational skills but also renewed dignity.
The work doesn’t stop there. In the evenings, the centre partially transforms into a tuition space for local children, who are taught by transwomen educators. Among them is R Shyamaladevi, who holds a doctorate in English. Despite her academic endeavours, Shyamaladevi’s journey has mirrored Girija’s in many ways. “My family is yet to accept me. But with the support of Girija amma and the sponsors she arranged, I completed my graduation and doctorate. I have cleared the teacher eligibility tests and attended government recruitment exams. Even though the law recognises us as the third gender, interviewers tell me the staff ‘will feel uncomfortable’,” she says. “If the Puducherry government provides proper job reservation for us, private companies might follow.”
Another beneficiary, V Yamini, shares her unfinished dreams of becoming a dentist. “I worked at a clinic but was paid less and given more work than others. I left, but now I’m learning tailoring and have started making dresses for myself and friends.”
The housing crisis is another urgent battle that is waiting to be fought by the trans community. “Our main demand to the government is free land and funds to build houses under any housing scheme,” Girija emphasises. Girija recounts her journey to buying her own plot. “Luckily, I live in my own house now, which allows me to run the tailoring and tuition centres without hindrance,” she says.
Girija’s hopes for the future shine brightest for her community. “If we get proper housing, we can focus on building our lives. We urge the government to extend reservation to transwomen in both public and private sectors.”
In her home-turned-sanctuary, Girija tirelessly breathes life into the idea of opportunities that continue to remain an ideal for many in the trans community, as she shows Puducherry and the world that dignity and acceptance begin at home — and that with support, every life can shine.
(Edited by Divya Ramkumar)