Rajkot/Surat: "The name of Shikhandi (a transgender), who played a major role in killing Bhishma Pitamah in the Mahabharata era, is still revered today. Similarly, the character of the best Banavani Arjuna (Bruhanla) during his exile is also known. But over the years and in a changing society with the passage of time, there is a shocking attitude and dislike towards transgender people. Negative feelings towards society are born in such people for being shunned by family and society. The mood and grief of the transgender's relatives in particular is heartbreaking. However, the wind of positive change is now blowing in society. Currently, two cases have come to light, one in Surat and one in Rajkot,"
Sandeep from Surat had been suffering from internal unrest for almost three decades and this pain has finally subsided after he became 'Alisha'. People knew her as Sandeep but all she knew was that even though she looked like a boy but she is a girl from within and finally she changed her gender at the age of 39 and became Alisha from Sandeep. She became the first transwoman in Gujarat who was given a certificate provided by the State government.
At the age of 12, Sandeep started liking all the things that girls like. Suddenly, he started liking pink very much. He started liking dolls, not cars and bikes like other boys. He realised that there is something that sets him apart from other boys. Even after completing his diploma in engineering, Sandeep, who was going through a mental dilemma, finally decided that he would bring what he had from within to the society and at the age of 39, Sandeep made an important decision. After undergoing three surgeries, he became Alisha Patel.
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Alisha Patel has recently been given a certificate by the Surat District Collector which has made her the first Transwoman in the state to receive such certificate. This certificate has been received after her gender reassignment operation and she is very happy when her new identity is recognized by the government. Alisha is an Oriental therapist and has recently spent about Rs 8 lakh to become a woman. Alisha Patel has become the first transwoman in the state to receive a certificate issued by the government under the new rules.
"Now, I can confidently reveal my identity to people and behave like a woman which I could not do before," she said to ETV Bharat. The boys at school came wearing half pants but I liked the long skirts in the school uniforms, but I couldn’t express myself, said Alisha Patel, the youngest of six sisters. My body language, interests and way of speaking showed that I would grow up to be a woman in my family.