Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 21 2009:
Thokchom Rockyson, who won the Ist runner up title in the first Miss India contest of the transgenders has vowed to work for the welfare of his transgender fellows while calling upon them to come out fearlessly and show their latent talents to prove that they are not inferior to anybody.
Organised by Indian Community Welfare Organisation, the first ever Miss India contest of the transgender community was hosted at City Hotel, Vijay Park, Chennai on December 19. In all 120 contestants coming from different parts of India participated in the contest.
Kareena Shaline of Mumbai was crowned as the winner while Padmini of Coimbatore won the 2nd runner up title.
A resident of Bishnupur Bazar, 23-year old Rockyson is currently working as a tele sales executive of a Hyderabad based call centre apart from being a member of the Board of Directors of an NGO working for the welfare of transgender community.
Talking to The Sangai Express from Hyderabad, Rockyson, who is more popularly known as Romi among his friends, said winning of the Ist runner up title in the Miss India contest for transgender community was one of his happiest moments in life.
Giving the credit of winning the title to his family members and friends who supported him throughout, Rockyson observed that though the discriminatory attitude of the society towards the transgenders has come down, it is still there.
Appreciating the ruling of Delhi High Court to legalise consensual sex among same sex, Rockyson pointed out this court ruling was an indication that there should be no more discrimination against transgender community in India.
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However, transgender community has been normally lagging behind in education.
So there is a need to launch a Nation-wide campaign to promote education among the transgender, he noted.
He further pointed out that most of the transgenders in Manipur are being engaged in beauty and skin care profession and have been playing a major role in the make up department of the Manipuri digital film making.
But instead of concentrating in one profession only, there is the need for the transgender to diversify in other professional areas as well.
Expressing happiness over the success of Rockyson, Hipchar, another transgender, maintained that Rockyson's success at a National level contest would boost the morale and confidence of the transgenders back home.
Jenny Khurai, proprietor of Jenny Beauty Parlour observing that winning the title of Ist runner up at a National level contest by a transgender from Manipur should not be taken lightly.
The success of Rockyson means a lot to the transgender community in Manipur, Jenny said, adding that Rockyson has shown that transgenders are not inferior to anybody.