India's First Transgender News Anchor Starts Presenting

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Indias-First-Transgender-News-Anchor-Starts-Presenting-20140919-0046.html

Published 19 September 2014

India recently ruled to legally recognize transgender people as a third gender.
The first transgender news anchor in India has started her position, five months after a court ruled that transgender people be recognized as a legal third gender.

The anchor is Padmini Prakash, 31, who works at Lotus News in Tamil Nadu.

She said to the Times of India that "I was very worried because I also had to focus on my diction and maintain a steady narrative pace to ensure that there was clarity and viewers could understand me."

She started working the station last month, but was wildly popular with views and was promoted to be the face of the daily 7 p.m. special bulletin.

"We are very supportive of Padmini .... after initial trials, we were convinced that she had the potential to be an excellent news anchor," Lotus News Channel Chairman G.K.S. Selvakumar said to the Times of India.

Padmini had cut all ties off with her family because of the stigma and pressure, and traveled until she became a Bharathanatyam dance instructor, living with her transgender partner.