Bidhan Barua (21) is a picture of quiet confidence as he speaks about his battle against his family and the challenges ahead. Living in a Mumbai hotel for the past month,he hopes to fulfil his dream soon,even if it is a little unusual. The youth from Guwahati has come to the city to undergo a sex change operation at the Saifee Hospital on Charni Road. Last week,he moved the Bombay High Court seeking its intervention to prevent his family from disrupting the operation. He claimed his parents had threatened doctors at the hospital,asking them not to perform the operation. According to him,they also froze his bank account to create more impediments for him. In March this year,Barua underwent a psychiatric test in his hometown,which confirmed he was fit to undergo the procedure. He approached the court as the hospital authorities refused to operate on him till he gets the explicit permission of the court. The case will be heard by a Division Bench of Justices S J Vazifdar and A R Joshi on Wednesday. I am now completely open and fearless about what I want,especially now that my story has become known to the outside world. I know my parents are opposed to my decision. But even if I lose my life,the world will come to know what happened to me, he told The Indian Express. He spends most of his time in the hotel room and doesnt venture out much to see the city. He hopes the ordeal will be over in less than a month,after which he will marry his partner,an Indian Air Force Flight Lieutenant. Barua says his partner is supporting him both financially and morally,but he does not want to give him too much trouble. My friends and even my college professor are very helpful and supportive. They understand I was born this way. According to his petition,he realised early in life that he was born in the wrong sex and preferred to dress and behave like girls. After he filed the case in court,he says his father,Supti Ranjan Barua,tried calling him numerous times. But I never pick up his calls. What is the use? He will only try to threaten and intimidate me more. However,he is now also facing serious financial problems and wonders how long he will be able to stay in the city. His operation is expected to cost anywhere between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh.
