Odisha-Based Activists Meera Parida, Sadhana Mishra Bag 1st National Transgender Award

Bhubaneswar: Transgender activists from Odisha, Meera Parida and Sadhana Mishra, received the first National Transgender Award for being path-breakers and working for the welfare of the community.

The award, instituted by Gaurav Trust and World Women Organisation, was the first-ever initiative to recognise the efforts of transgenders at the national level.

The initiative was taken to build an inclusive society; the members of transgender community get equal opportunities. The awards were given away at the end of a day-long conclave of transgender activists.

Activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, Ashma Begum, chairperson of World Women Organisation and officials from the Union Ministry of Social Justice, among other dignitaries were present at the award ceremony.

The awards had four main categories – Lifetime Achievement Award, Organisation Awards, Path Breakers and Vidhya Award.

For Meera Parida, the award symbolised society’s changed attitude towards transgender. “My journey has been extremely painful. But, it feels nice that today the society, which had once abused us, is now calling us ‘ma’ or ‘bahen’ (sister). Once, we were treated as criminals and untouchables. At that point of time, I had no shelter, food or clothes. I had to beg, sell ‘papads’, work as a labourer and dance in bars to arrange two squares of meal,” she said.