First transgender presiding officer in West Bengal

Riya Sarkar has been recently announced as the first transgender presiding officer in West Bengal. This is a major achievement indeed!

“Back then, I was a transgender and was undergoing hormone therapy. I was too weak and had informed the authorities about my medical condition,” says Sarkar who was approached last year for discharging election duty.

This year she was overwhelmed to accept the offer. She says she is honoured to be receiving the offer from the Election Commission.

She recalls the alienation she was facing from her colleagues at ‘Dum Dum Prachaya Bani Mandir For Boys.’ People treated her like an untouchable at her workplace. Why? Because she had undergone sex realignment surgery.

“I had been a subject of ridicule when I was a transgender. But things went out of proportion when I had my sex realignment surgery. There are two faculty members who treat me like an animal. They make me feel as if I am storehouse of sexual diseases. I am treated like an untouchable,” Riya whotutored students at the Boys school said.

On 30 April, Sarkar will be seen manned with women at South Kolkata booth in Rashbehari area.

AmarNath Chatterjee, the teacher in charge of her institute says, “Bhaloi toh (It’s good). We had a small misunderstanding earlier. But now everything is normal. All our staff members congratulated her.”