After Supreme Court recognised Transgenders as the third gender in the year 2014, slowly and steadily, good things are unfolding for them in the country.

Two trans women, 24-year-old Jiya Das and Debdatta Biswas, assisted doctors in an Operation Theatre (OT) as OT technicians during an operation. They helped in sterilizing medical equipment, observed the proceedings (appendectomy, a cesarean section, surgery on a fractured finger and a hydrocele surgery), assisted senior attendants, and kept track of the devices monitoring the patient’s vital parameters.

This is part of Jiya and Debdatta’s six-month internship training and both of them are doing well academically. Jaya is a graduate from Malda and Debdatta is a postgraduate in Bengali. The road till here hasn’t been a smooth one for them though. Jiya, after her father underwent a heart surgery, had to work as a dancer in order to support her family. She told The Times of India, “Working as a laundiya performer was not by choice. I was extremely vulnerable. But I had to support my family and had to go through with it. Now, I can dream of a dignified career.”

Debdatta prior to this used to give private tuitions to help her ailing parents. “I was filled with excitement, stepping into the OT for the first time to assist the doctors. All went well, and I am sure the next six months will give me a lot of exposure and make me a competent OT technician,” said Debdatta.

It was the gender rights meet at the American Center in Kolkata last year that fueled their dreams. Several activists and organisations discussed the idea to engage qualified transgenders in various courses. Founder School of Skills and Allied Health Science (SSAHS) Dr. Satadal Saha, offered to train Jiya and Debdatta free of cost as a pilot project. They then joined the batch of 48 students (enrolled for the course in July last year) at the Panskura unit of SSAHS.

Dr. Saha appreciated Jiya and Debdatta’s commitment, grit, and determination. She said, “Right from day one, they have been extremely focused and committed. They will be very compassionate, caring and competent health workers. This was a pilot project and we plan to take in more transgendered students who have the aptitude for it.”

 H/T: The Times of India