Meet India's first transgender news anchorTop Stories

September 20, 2014 16:23
Meet India's first transgender news anchor},{Meet India's first transgender news anchor

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Almost five months after an Indian court ruled that transgender people should be recognised as a legal third gender, a television channel recruitted the first transgender news anchor in the country. This marks a milestone in Indian democracy that strives to provide equal rights to all its citizens.

The news anchor named Padmini Prakash works at Lotus News in Tamil Nadu. The 31-year old  transgender, while talking to a leading daily, said she had to go through several discrimination throughout her life. Even her own family had disowned her.

Before joining the news channel, Padmini worked as a dancer and even acted in Tamil soap operas.

Prakash says it was daunting to take on a high profile role of a news anchor.

Padmini says she was worried in the beginning. She had to get her diction right, while maintaining a steady narrative pace so that her voice had clarity and viewers could understand her.

According to campaigners, India has hundreds of thousands of transgender people. Earlier they were not legally recognised, because of which they were ostracised, discriminated, faced abuse and very often forced to get into prostitution.

The Supreme Court of India recognised transgender as a legal third gender in April this year. The landmark judgment was lauded by human rights groups and urged the government to ensure equal treatment of transgender people.

Countries like Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh have also given legal recognition to a third gender.

Padmini Prakash, who joined the TV channel last month, is quite popular among viewers. Seeing her rising popularity she was promoted quickly. Now she has become the face of the daily 7 pm special bulletin of the Coimbatore-based Lotus News Channel.


(AW: Pratima Tigga)

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