Transwoman from Kanyakumari district becomes Tamil Nadu’s first trans TTE

Madurai: Times have changed but transgender people continue to face numerous hurdles in getting recognition and acceptance in jobs. However, Sindhu Ganapathy, Tamil Nadu’s first trans train ticket examiner (TTE) who took charge at Dindigul railway station on Thursday, is hopeful that education and perseverance will herald a brighter future for the transgender community.

Hailing from Nagercoil, Sindhu joined Southern Railway in 2003 and first worked at Ernakulam, under Trivandrum division in Kerala. She was transferred to Dindigul under Madurai division in 2009. “I was initially working in the electrical department. Being a transgender person, I was quite worried as to how people around me would see me. However, Southern Railway Mazdoor Union and its office bearers supported me and I was motivated to do my best in work,” she said.

An accident subsequently caused injury to Sindhu’s hand and she was unable to continue technical work. When the administration asked her if she can take up a non-technical job, she was excited as it would bring her more public interaction.

“I expressed my willingness to be a TTE. There were some challenges, but the dream has now become a reality. It is a victory not only for me but also the transgender community.

It is an honour to be the first transgender person to become a TTE in Tamil Nadu. I hope more transgender people draw inspiration from me and work in Southern Railway,” she added.

A BLit Tamil Literature graduate, Sindhu firmly believes that education is key to come up in life. “I was happy to see that as a TTE, the public were supportive of me for my achievement as a transgender person. I think most people now are far more accepting of us. Transgender people these days also have access to education and jobs, which they must make full use of to become respectable members of society,” she said.

The TTE felt that governments must earmark quotas for transgender people in jobs across fields, providing a chance to the marginalised community to get better livelihood.

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Courtesy : Hindi News