Coimbatore:
Five months after transgenders were recognised as a legal third gender, Padmini Prakash has made history by becoming the country's first transgender news anchor.
Prakash, 31, who works at Lotus News in Tamil Nadu, said that she had faced a lot of discrimination throughout her life, including being disowned by her family.
She worked as a dancer and then acted in Tamil soap operas before joining the news channel.
Confident of making it big, Prakash said that her becoming a broadcaster could help her bring about a positive change in the Indian society.
"In media transgenders are shown as someone performing dance, singing songs and as a comedy piece but what I am doing as a news anchor is a very responsible job. Why should I not come in front of a camera? Why should my face not be known to everyone? Because of what I am doing we can see changes in the society," said Padmini.
In April, the Supreme Court recognised transgender as a legal third gender and, in a landmark judgment lauded by human rights groups, called on the government to ensure their equal treatment.
India, however, is not the first country to give legal recognition to the transgender community. Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh have also legally recognised a third gender.
Giving a message to other transgenders, Prakash said they too should achieve things and have an ambition.
Taking on the new challenge, Prakash said becoming a TV presenter was her childhood dream.
"Even we should have an achievement, an ambition. It was my childhood dream to become a news anchor," she added.
Recognizing her talent, Lotus News Channel Chairman G K Selvakumar said that Prakash's fluency and clarity of words makes her eligible for the job.
"Padmini is able to read news like anyone else, so we gave her the job. Her fluency of words is better than others."
Prakash became so popular with viewers after joining the station last month that she was quickly promoted to become the face of the Coimbatore-based Lotus News Channel's daily 7 p.m. special bulletin.
