UPRTOU, Kinnar Welfare Board join hands for transgenders’ uplift

PRAYAGRAJ: Officials of Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University (UPRTOU) and the state Kinnar Welfare Board (KWB) have decided to work together for the social uplift of transgenders in the field of professional and higher education.

In this regard, an action plan was chalked out in a recent meeting held between UPRTOU’s vice-chancellor prof Seema Singh and member of KWB, Uttar Pradesh and Mahamandaleshwar of Kinnar Akhara Kaushalya Nand Giri alias Tina Maa, informed the varsity officials.

Public relations officer of the open university Prabhat Mishra informed that Mahamandaleshwar Kaushalya Nand Giri said the campaign started by UPRTOU to provide free education to transgenders was commendable.

This would give a new direction to the transgender society, she said while assuring that she would make the transgender community aware about the educational programmes of the open university for which a list of transgender community members is being prepared by the board.

She further said that in various programmes of UPRTOU, Kinnar community would also bring awareness in the society through their art forms like sohar, dance and music. On this occasion, Tina Maa garlanded the newly constructed statue of freedom fighter Purushottam Das Tandon, also known as Rajarshi Tandon, installed on the Saraswati campus of the university and visited the varsity’s Atal auditorium.

The VC welcomed the Mahamandaleshwar with a memento and Angavastram. He presented Tina Maa the admission brochure of the university and other study material.

Prof Singh said that the university was constantly thinking and striving for the education of transgenders. She said that on the instructions of UP Governor Anandiben Patel, the open university had started the initiative of free education for their welfare. This was the first step in the endeavour of the KWB and the university to work together so that its benefits reached the transgender community.

An MoU would be signed soon, she informed.

Prof Singh said, “The cooperation of the society is very necessary in the initiative we have taken to educate the transgender community . To fulfil this objective, we have to establish an all-inclusive society”.