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| Though Prithika had met all criteria, the state police recruitment board said it did not have a third gender category. (Video below) |
November 6, 2015, NewsCrunch
Chennai's K Prithika Yashini, a transgender woman, has realised her dream of becoming a police officer.
After knocking the Madras High Court four times, she secured a favourable judicial order asking the Tamil Nadu Government to appoint her as Sub Inspector.
A Computer Applications graduate Prithika changed her name from Pradeep Kumar after a sex change surgery.
Beside passing gruelling qualification tests, she also had to leap over other hurdles. Her marks sheets identified her as Pradeep Kumar, which was initially used as a ground to disqualify her.
Her plight received extensive media coverage in Tamil Nadu forcing even officials to become sympathetic towards her. While she passed all physical tests easily, Prithika stumbled in the 100 meters run and finished in 18.6 seconds instead of 17.5 seconds or less.
The concerned officials used their discretionary power to let her in.
Though Prithika had met all criteria, the state police recruitment board said it did not have a third gender category. That is when the Madras High Court stepped in.
Transgender persons suffer from lack of opportunities to earn a decent living. They also frequently allege that they are worst victims of police harassment.
Now with one of them donning the coveted Khaki uniform, others would be inspired to step up their effort to join the mainstream.