‘Don’t complain, push yourself’ — for Bihar’s first trans sub-inspector, donning the uniform is a lifelong dream

Says Guru Rahman, a Patna-based educationist who coached her for the exams: “Madhu had also qualified the written test of the excise department’s constable examination but could not appear for the medical test because of surgery complications. But she came back strong and we’re proud of her achievement”.

Of the 6,788 candidates who took the exams this year, 1,275 candidates — 822 men, 450 women and three trans people — qualified for SI positions. Of the successful candidates, 275 were from the scheduled Castes, 238 from EBC, 100 from OBC — including 87 women — 11 EWS and 16 from the scheduled tribes.

Apart from Madhu, two other 24-year-old trans people —Rohit Jha from Sitamarhi and Banty Kumar from Muzaffarpur — qualified for the exams. All three had taken coaching from Guru Rehman’s coaching centre for the underprivileged.

For trans people like Madhu, the battle to break the glass ceiling was hard won. Says transgender activist Reshma Prasad: “It was only after a long legal battle that Patna High Court had directed the state government in February 2021 to ensure one SI and four constable positions in each Bihar district”.

According to the Bihar caste survey conducted last year, there are 40,827 trans people in the state.

Madhu feels a great sense of pride in her achievement, which she sees as one more step towards closing the gender gap. “There is a lesson here — one mustn’t complain about one’s gender. Instead, push yourself,” she says.