Sarang Punekar, first transgender student of SPPU in Pune, dies by suicide

Punekar was a strong supporter of the Ambedkarite movement and also raised her voice against NRC and CAA. “Sarang was brilliant in her analysis of caste and power hierarchy. As the first transgender student of the university, her very presence was a unique experience for us, both as academics as well as administrators,” Dr Anagha Tambe, head of the Department of Women’s Studies at SPPU which Punekar had joined in 2018, said.

Tambe, while speaking to The Indian Express on Thursday at Punekar’s funeral, felt society at large failed to help Punekar realise her dreams.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare was among those who had gathered to bid farewell to Punekar, who had made a name for herself within a short time as a passionate speaker and advocate for gender rights and other causes. “As a student, Punekar brought about new perspectives to gender studies. She wanted to create knowledge and wanted to do original work about the language and customs of her community. It is our failure as a society that we could not support her dreams,” she said.

Punekar had worked as a regional coordinator, north Maharashtra, for Pune-headquartered NGO Samyak, which works for women and sexuality. Anand Pawar, executive director of the NGO, said she was first referred to Samyak as an intern but subsequently she was absorbed. “In the development sector it is always the norm to get transgender people to work in HIV prevention programmes. But she broke the stereotype and worked for abortion rights. As the coordinator she executed the project successfully,” he said.

In the course of her work, she had to coordinate with government officials, doctors and NGOs. The project got over in 2020 and Punekar decided to relocate to Rajasthan. “She said she wanted to be with the community there,” Pawar said.

Transgender poetess Disha Pinky Sheikh was her professor and personal friend. “She was a very strong voice. Her death marks the end of a very different kind of support for the community,” she said.