She is an activist and her organization, ‘Nai Bhor’, works for the betterment of the LGBT community. She also works with RSACS (Rajasthan State Aids Control Society) under the project ‘Pehchan’ to create awareness about HIV and Aids. She is known as ‘Pushpa Mai’
According to Pushpa, I decided to choose the famous Lakshmi as she inspires me to be proud in who I really am. I started volunteering for various projects for the rise of ‘kinnar’ community.”
Pushpa always grateful to her parents for making her strong. She wants to inculcate this dignity & courage in her community.”
India’s transgender people have long lived on the margins of society and are a familiar sight at traffic stops or weddings, where they sing and dance and ask for money. But the group — known as “hijras” — have made huge strides toward greater inclusion in recent years, culminating with a landmark decision in 2014 by India’s Supreme Court that recognized a third gender that is neither male or female.
Pushpa further said the ID card was the first step towards transgenders getting respect and recognition as a separate gender and them becoming beneficiaries of government schemes.
She has her ID card with both identities.
She has two names written on the card – Pradeep (her original name) and Pushpa.
Pushpa Added“I feel all of us here must have our identity card. This will definitely say that we are not a non-person. Being transgender is legal”. “I want my community to feel safe while walking down the street. I want men to realize that it is not OK or acceptable to pass lewd comments on us. I want my country to offer me equal rights and protection as a citizen!”
My id – my identity
About 30 feet long murals were built at Vivek Vihar Metro Station, Pushpa Gidwani, Member of Transgender Welfare Board, Jaipur, participated in this artwork, as well as from Jaipur, Transgenic Artist showed the art of his art. Sadhana Prasad from Bangalore, Aditi from Mumbai, Transmitter Artist from Bangalore, Purnima Sukumar, founder of Transparency Art and Aravani Art, from Bangalore, shared the message beautifully on the walls, while people also shared their partnership with them. A picture is made between them, this is the picture of Pushpa Gidwani, Member of Rajasthan Transgender Welfare Board. Pushpa Gidwani struggled for about 18 months to make the board in Rajasthan after the Supreme Court order. In the end, they raised their campaign and the Vasundhara government formed the Kinnar Welfare Board. Pushpa Gidwani has been trying for the betterment and development of the kinnars in Rajasthan for many years.
