With Madras High Court’s intervention, India is all set to get the first transgender Sub-Inspector of Police in K Prithika Yashini.

25-year-old Prithika has been declared as a fit candidate by the Madras High Court, paving the way for her appointment as Sub Inspector by the Tamil Nadu Government, NDTV reported. The court has further directed the recruitment board to make changes to draw transgenders to the state police force.

A Computer Applications graduate, Prithika filed a series of write petitions in the High Court after her application was rejected by the state recruitment board since there was no provision for third gender, neither any quota or concessional cut off in exams or interview for the transgender community. Her petition led to the lowering of the cut-off marks in written exam. She cleared the other tests as well.

“I’m excited. It’s a new beginning for the entire transgender community,” Prithika told NDTV.

Rajya Sabha had recently passed a Transgender Rights Bill, which is now pending in the Lok Sabha. In Kolkata, a transgender person was appointed as Principal of a college, while in Patna another trans person became a banker. Many states too have formed Transgender Welfare Boards for the upliftment of the transgender community.

Sukhdeep Singh