KURNOOL: Pidisala Vijay Kumar, a Rural Medical Practitioner (RMP) from Nandyal, says when he was studying high school in Nandyal town, his relative, who was a gay, was ridiculed and ostracised, leading to his death by suicide. Moved by this incident, he has been fighting for the rights and upliftment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community.
The 46-year-old says he took up the cause of these sections when he found people, including family members, ill-treating them. "They are humans, they have every rights as others. Hence, I decided to make it my life mission to fight for their rights and ensure they too have a chance to lead a life with dignity and equality," he says.
He found it hard to digest seeing transgenders begging on trains and other public places to eke out a living. Deciding to do his bit to bring about a change, he started an NGO -- Indian National Samatha Transgenders Hakkula Porata Samithi. The NGO has been organising awareness campaigns to sensitise people on the rights of LGBTQ communities.
The prolonged fight of the NGO and other organisations helped the LGBTQ community. The State government has set up the Third Genders’ Welfare Board, and started monthly pensions for them. Transgender Rights Protection Bill was passed by Parliament.
He says his efforts with several other activists paid off when the Bill was passed. Vijay Kumar, runs a clinic in Peddakottla to support his family. He offers free medical OP services to the needy.