Transcending Barriers

Manabi Bandyopadhya, India’s first transgender college principal, fought the odds but her war is far from over

- Rabi Banerjee

These days, Manabi Bandyopadhya does not mind if someone taunts her for being a transgender. About 14 years ago, she chose to become a woman. Today she is head of a government-run college, something Bengali society finds hard to accept.

Ever since she was made principal two years ago, Manabi has been subject to insult, defamation and a barrage of allegations. “Even Swami Vivekananda had to face insults when he ventured to set up Belur Math,” said Manabi, 54. “He went from door to door and begged. A courageous, handsome, educated man was seeking help from the people. How could society accept that? When such a personality was insulted and vilified, who am I?”

Born Somnath to a middle-class family in Naihati, a suburb outside Kolkata, Manabi underwent sex change in 2003 when she was a lecturer at Jhargram Raj College. She was forced to vacate the college hostel when teachers asked her to behave like a man.