Transgender Awarded Honorary Doctorate In India For First Time

Sexual minority activist Akkai Padmashali has become the first transgender in the country to be conferred with an honorary doctorate. Padmashali was honoured with the doctorate by the Indian Virtual University for Peace and Education on May 31 in Bengaluru.

Akkai Padmashali is a male-to-female transgender. She is the founder-member of Ondede, an organisation that aims to create awareness about sexuality, sexual diversity and the right to choose one’s sexual orientation.

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Padmashali, has been the voice of the sexual minority and has inspired many in the battle against gender prejudice. Padmashali has now requested the government of Karnataka to form pro-transgender commission to save the community from human rights violations.