From Activism To Policy Making: This Transwoman Will Now Be Part Of National Culture Fund Of Union Govt

In a first-of-its-kind event, the Union Ministry of Culture under the Indian government has appointed a transwoman as the member of the council and executive committee of the National Culture Fund. Oorvasi Gandhi was born in Tamil Nadu's Usilampatti, a small town in Tamil Nadu's Madurai district, and left her home at a young age to break the rigid shackles of a patriarchic system. Gandhi would share the chair with eminent people like Harshavardhan Neotia, chairman of Ambuja Neotia Group and Sudha Murthy, the chairwoman of the Murthy foundation.

First Transgender Person To Inherit Property

Gandhi has been working with the rural transgender population of Tamil Nadu for more than two decades. Through her work, Gandhi has provided the transgender community in the villages with fundamental property rights and essential health and sanitation facilities. Moreover, Oorvasi became the first to inherit property under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. She worked extensively to protect the tradition of indigenous, gender-variant communities and their spiritual spaces in Tamil Nadu, The Times of India reported.

Provided Shelter To Hundreds At Her Home

Over the years, Gandhi has provided shelter to hundreds of transgender persons in her home. Now, the trans men she had supported are members of the Tamil Nadu Transgender Persons Welfare Board. The senior trans activist has been actively involved with Srishti Madurai LGBT Student Volunteer Movement for seven years. Previously she has discussed the issues, problems and discriminations that people from the community have to face with Bill and Melinda Gates during their visit to Madurai. Moreover, she created a business model for Tamil Nadu which helped hundreds of transgender people better their household income.

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