Shanavi Ponnuswamy, a transgender woman from Tamil Nadu was shortlisted for a cabin crew role in Air India, but she was never selected. While she sought the Supreme Court's help against discrimination, she simultaneously decided to take a drastic step. Ponnusamy approached the President to grant her euthanasia. However, she later bravely wrote to the states Chief Minister seeking help for herself as, well as, others like her

'MTV Splitsvilla 8' contestant Gaurav Arora not only came out about being a transgender in public and changed his name to Gauri Arora, but he also decided to participate in the TV show 'India's Next Top Model'. Gauri even showed how accepting she was of her body, as she walked down the ramp in a bikini in the first episode of the show

Daniela Vega, star of A Fantastic Woman, created history by becoming the first openly transgender presenter at the Oscars. 'Thank you so much for this moment. I want to invite you to open your hearts and your feelings to feel the reality, to feel love. Can you feel it?' Vega said, taking the stage

Marvia Malik has set history in Pakistan, by becoming the country's first transgender news anchor. Malik has a bachelors degree in journalism and is pursuing a masters of arts programme in the same field. She is working with Kohenoor News 'Azad Bhi Zimydar Bhi', which is also the news channel that helped her groom herself in the field

When Kami Sid flooded social media timelines, posing nonchalantly in a heavily-embroidered sari - the world was forced to take notice. Not because Sid is strikingly gorgeous, but because in the tumultuous atmosphere for transgenders in Pakistan, one person had emerged as a baton of hope, becoming the first transgender model to have come out of the country

Anjali Lama is a Nepali who became the first transgender model to walk the runway when at an Indian fashion show during the Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai. Her story is, however, one of the challenges. Lama was ostracised by members of her own family after telling them 12 years ago, that she wanted to live as a woman. She, however, bravely overcame abuse and prejudice to become Nepal's first transgender model

Riya Khan is a trangender woman who is a celebrity dancer. She stirred a buzz with rumours that she would participate in Bollywood superstar Salman Khan-hosted controversial reality TV show 'Bigg Boss 11'. However, she did become part of the reality television show

'I think I can dream of doing anything now,' says Komal Jagtap, one of six members of India's first transgender band, the 6-Pack Band, launched by YFilms. Komal then proudly added, 'My brother, who disowned me, and said, 'chhee, hijra hai!', called me yesterday, 'kahan hai, when are you coming home?'' The other transgender women in the group include Asha Jagtap, Bhavika Patil, Chandni Suvarnakar and Fida Khan

Bruce Jenner surprised many when he came out as a transgender and changed his name to Kaitlyn Jenner. He has since taken to activism, and promotes the interests of the community

Mahuva is a transgender woman who is keen to land a degree that will make her financially independent. Mahuva, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, dropped out in Std X after her classmates harassed her about her sexual orientation. She has sought the help of passengers in her local train route for crowdfunding, so that her dreams may be realised as she prepares for her St XII exams. Interestingly, Mahuva's story was made into a five-min short titled Mumbai's Mahuwa,Mahuva's Mumbai by Santosh Kamble, and screened at the Mumbai Film Festival in 2016. It won the top honour -- Golden Gateway award -- in the Dimensions Mumbai 2-16 category. Kamble followed her journey as she went about trying to change the perception of Mumbaikars about the transgender community.

Mahuva is a transgender woman who is keen to land a degree that will make her financially independent. Mahuva, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, dropped out in Std X after her classmates harassed her about her sexual orientation. She has sought the help of passengers in her local train route for crowdfunding, so that her dreams may be realised as she prepares for her St XII exams. Interestingly, Mahuva's story was made into a five-min short titled Mumbai's Mahuwa,Mahuva's Mumbai by Santosh Kamble, and screened at the Mumbai Film Festival in 2016. It won the top honour -- Golden Gateway award -- in the Dimensions Mumbai 2-16 category. Kamble followed her journey as she went about trying to change the perception of Mumbaikars about the transgender community.

Gauri Sawant was not born a woman, but she chose to become one. Born as Ganesh in Pune, the trans-woman, today a single mother to adopted daughter Gayatri, has been working relentlessly to give shape and form to her lifelong dream of creating a safe haven for children of sex workers by raising funds and building a home, so that they can live a dignified life

Transgender woman Abhina Aher organised dancing queens along with her daughters, Urmi Jadhav and Madhuri Nikam. The program aided the city's sexual minority with their various hardships

Josein Fernanda found herself in a tough spot when a colleague spotted a bodice and a bunch of padded bras in her bag while they were working on a cruise liner in Goa. Josein, born a boy in Mumbai's Lamington Road area, says she has always felt like a girl and would clandestinely cross-dress, however, she couldn't conform to societal norms anymore. After a bit of research, Fernanda found herself working as a staff, along with 5 other openly transgender women at Mumbai's Third eye Cafe

Josein Fernanda found herself in a tough spot when a colleague spotted a bodice and a bunch of padded bras in her bag while they were working on a cruise liner in Goa. Josein, born a boy in Mumbai's Lamington Road area, says she has always felt like a girl and would clandestinely cross-dress, however, she couldn't conform to societal norms anymore. After a bit of research, Fernanda found herself working as a staff, along with 5 other openly transgender women at Mumbai's Third eye Cafe

Chandani Gore a transgender woman, started the NGO Nirbhaya, while Mridul Wadhwa, a trans woman and an international equality activist, was awarded the Outstanding Campaigner Award at the Scottish LGBT Awards of the Equality Network in 2017

Chandani Gore a transgender woman, started the NGO Nirbhaya, while Mridul Wadhwa, a trans woman and an international equality activist, was awarded the Outstanding Campaigner Award at the Scottish LGBT Awards of the Equality Network in 2017

The life of Mayuri Mahesh Bansod, better known as Kadambari, a former FTII student, is also one that's been dotted with struggles. However, Bansod did not allow that to come in the way of her dreams. Kadambari, who works as a celebrity make-up and jewellery designer, said, 'I belong to a well-educated family. My mother, who is a teacher by profession, realised that I was not comfortable being a boy, but she refused to admit it. Then, one day I had an outburst and decided to leave my home and create a path for myself. People have the misconception that transgenders are either beggars or into flesh trade. But, I wanted to prove my detractors wrong.'

Dnyaneshwar Kamble alias Mauli, who was elected as sarpanch in the gram panchayat elections in Tarangfal village of Solapur, has also scripted an unusual success story. She became the first transgender in the electoral history of Maharashtra, to make the cut

Dnyaneshwar Kamble alias Mauli, who was elected as sarpanch in the gram panchayat elections in Tarangfal village of Solapur, has also scripted an unusual success story. She became the first transgender in the electoral history of Maharashtra, to make the cut

Ambika Panna Gabrel, a resident of Bibewadi, Pune, and a transgender woman, has been working as a bakery supervisor with MIT College of Food Technology for the last over 15 years

Four transgender women from Malad West set a striking example for society as they adopted median plants to save them from the chopping block

The Matrix filmmaker Lilly Wachowski, who was previously known as Andy, defeated societal norms to come out as a transgender

Hundreds of transgenders decided to make things better for themselves as they launched a pink rally and converged at the August Kranti Maidan on January 25, 2018 demanding fundamental rights such as health services, shelter homes, and welfare and development schemes from the Maharashtra government

Hundreds of transgenders decided to make things better for themselves as they launched a pink rally and converged at the August Kranti Maidan on January 25, 2018 demanding fundamental rights such as health services, shelter homes, and welfare and development schemes from the Maharashtra government

Transgenders women, striving hard to find a place in mainstream society, turned entrepreneurs in Kerala with the launch of a taxi service owned and operated by them, a first in the state

'The TransEmpowerment Mela , Anandi Anand Gade', at Borivli's VK Krishna Menon Academy Ground comprised 25 stalls put up by more than 300 transgenders from across the country, who showcased their various business endeavours

The country's first-ever women transgender flash mob performed a five-minute dance routine to raise awareness about the need for the transgender community's 'inclusion' into the mainstream in Mumbai