Padmini Prakash
Padmini Prakash | |
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Born | |
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Known for | First trans news anchor in India |
Padmini Prakash is an Indian news anchor, actress and transgender rights activist. She became the first openly trans person to work as a news anchor in India when she joined the Tamil channel Lotus News Channel on 15 August 2014.[1][2]
Early life and education
Padmini was born into a conservative Tamil family in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.[3] Padmini was disowned by her family who rejected her gender identity, at the age of 13.[4] She left her home at age 16,[5] and has not been in contact with her family since then.[1][3] After leaving home, she was supported by her cousin Prakash.[5] She completed her school education and applied for a distance-learning correspondence course for a Bachelor's degree in Commerce, which she was forced to drop out of after her second year due to financial setbacks as well discrimination and bullying for her gender identity.[1][6][4]
Padmini transitioned in 2004, and married her husband Nagraj Prakash in the same year.[3] Nagraj Prakash is her cousin,[5] whose family had taken her in when she was forced to leave her family home. The couple have adopted a son Jaya together.[4] She was encouraged by her husband, a goldsmith, to complete her education. He wanted her to become an IAS officer, but could not fulfil that dream due to their financial setbacks.[7]
Career
On 15 August 2014, India's Independence Day, Padmini hosted the 7 PM news bulletin on the Tamil channel Lotus News Channel, becoming the first Indian trans woman to be a television news anchor.
Padmini is also a classically trained dancer who has previously taught Bharatnatyam. She has also acted in Tamil soap operas[citation needed] and participated in transgender beauty pageants. She was crowned Miss Transgender India in 2009 and Miss Transgender Tamil Nadu in 2007.[4][9]
Padmini Prakash was commended by
References
- ^ a b c d e Qureshi, Imran (29 September 2014). "Padmini Prakash: India's first transgender news anchor". BBC News. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ a b c "Padmini Prakash Biography,Transgender News Anchor - Matpal". Matpal. 6 December 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "'We Have to Keep Proving Ourselves,' Says India's First Transgender TV News Anchor". NDTV.com. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ a b c Nath, Parshathy J. (24 September 2014). "The news read by Padmini..." The Hindu. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "Introducing Padmini Prakash, India's First Transgender Television News Anchor". The Better India. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ "Know Padmini Prakash, India's first transgender TV anchor". 21 September 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ "First transgender news anchor says she's rid of her demons - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ "Breaking tradition: India's first transgender newsreader | Free Press Journal". Free Press Journal. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2018.