TIRUVANNAMALAI: Perhaps, she is the first third-gender in Tamil Nadu who has been appointed as ‘Organiser’ in a nutritious noon meal centre at the Yerpakkam panchayat union primary school, after K. Prithika Yashini who was recently appointed as sub-inspector in Salem on court order.
Jaya, a third-gender, on Thursday morning received her appointment letter from the Tiruvannamalai district collector A.Gnanasekaran at a small function held in the Collectorate. He asked Jaya to perform her assigned role with sincerity.
The 23-year-old Jayaprakash (alias) Jaya, had gradually developed mannerisms of a woman, when she was in second year B.A. class in History in Tiruvannamalai Government Arts college.
Her parents, elder brother and elder sister thought that Jayaprakash had become a burden to them, for all of them worried about her future. The family members started abusing her and a vexed Jaya without informing anyone left home and settled down with other transgenders in Benguluru.
Much to the chagrin of Jaya, she could not find employment opportunities in Benguluru, in spite of her plus-two qualification, as she had not completed college. Jaya started hunting for jobs and approached several petrol bunks, shops and hotels but experienced only disappointments.
Jaya returned to Keezh Pennathur in the district when her friends encouraged her to apply for the noon meal centre organiser's post in the panchayat primary school in response to an advertisement.
“I have not done much fighting to get the organiser's job in the school for the post. I must thank the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa for implementing various welfare measures for women-folk and third-genders too," acknowledged Jaya.
