KOCHI: Life was hardly easy for Sreedhanya, especially the transition from a young man — Rakesh — to a woman. A family member recalled that she had battled severe psychological conflict from a young age after realising her gender identity. Though she left home five years ago, determined not to become an embarrassment for her family members, it was only in February this year that she submitted an application for a transgender (TG) card under the name of Sreedhanya. She was the youngest of the three children of K R Rajappan and Vimala.
Sreedhanya did her BSc in nursing from Kolkata while working as a general nurse at a hospital. “ Barring her mother, she wasn’t in touch with other family members. Only his mother used to receive calls from her,” said Anil Kumar, husband of Sreedhanya’s elder sister.
Sreedhanya had been to Chennai, New Delhi and Kolkata before returning to Kerala and relocating to Kochi. “I remember talking to her on May 26. We never expected that such a tragedy will befall her. Hope police will find the exact cause of death. She just applied for the TG card this year,” said Cicily George, president of Punarjani cultural society for transgenders in Kozhikode.
However, it’s still a mystery why Sreedhanya took up a job as a private bus conductor, even though she had ample opportunities to secure the job of a nurse based on her qualification and experience.