A city in central India has elected the country’s first transgender mayor, nine months after a court ruled that transgender be recognized as a legal third gender, according to local news media reports.
Madhu Kinnar, 35, won the mayoral election in Raigarh in the mineral-rich state of Chhattisgarh, beating her opponent from the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by more than 4,500 votes, the Press Trust of India reported.
Television images showed a sari-clad Kinnar, with a large red bindi on her forehead, greeting supporters who placed marigold garlands around her neck.
Kinnar – who is from the Dalit or “low caste” community and used to earn a living singing and dancing in trains – said that she was overwhelmed by her election.
“People have shown faith in me. I consider this win as love and blessings of (the) people for me. I’ll put in my best efforts to accomplish their dreams,” Kinnar was quoted as saying.
“It was the public support that encouraged me to enter the poll fray for the first time and because of their support only, I emerged as the winner.” She remarked.
Last April, in a landmark judgement India’s Supreme Court recognized transgender as a legal third gender and called on the government to ensure their equal treatment.
