The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Transgenders thank government for setting up welfare board

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Friday, Jan 25, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Transgenders thank government for setting up welfare board

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Members of the transgender community on Thursday expressed their gratitude over the government’s move to start a separate welfare board for them, at the valedictory of the week-long celebration of ‘Aravanigal Dhinam.’

Expressing their happiness at the fulfilment of a long-pending demand, the transgenders put up banners and posters and applauded the move loudly. The programme was organised by Tamil Nadu AIDS Initiative (TAI), Voluntary Health Services, in order to exhibit the talents of the transgenders and honour their involvement in spreading awareness of HIV/AIDS and other disease.

Lakshmi Bai, project director, TAI, said the government had immediately perused the list of demands presented by trangenders on January 18. She said by ordering the formation of a Transgender Welfare Board, the government had boosted the morale of the community.

N.Siva, Rajya Sabha Member, said he had raised the issues of the transgender community in Parliament. He also promised that he would continue to support their cause as he believed that they should not be excluded by society.

Kith and kin of the transgenders, anganwadi workers who had worked with them and the transgenders themselves spoke of their experiences.

Awards were given to three of them, identified as achievers. N.S.Murali, secretary, VHS, gave away certificates to 12 others who had been nominated for the awards.

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