India’s first transgender banker, Patna’s Monika Das, is appointed as ‘State Icon’ by Election Commission

Monika Das, popularly known as Stylish Transgender of Bihar, has been made State Icon by the State Election Commission to ensure active participation of Mangalamukhi community in the election process, reported Dainik Jagran. In the past, Monika Das has edited the election work as the first transgender presiding officer of the state in Bihar Assembly General Election 2020. Monika Das has scripted history by becoming the country's first transgender banker.

Living an independent life as a bank professional currently, Monika has overcome the biggest dilemma of her life. Monika had told in an interview earlier that when she was three years old, she came to know about being transgender. Monika's father named her Gopal. Being a transgender, she remembered she had to face humiliation everywhere. She also mentioned that her brothers were ashamed of the fact that she is a transgender. She mentioned about her traumatic childhood which was full of taunts and rejections from everybody she came across.

Monika remembers being more like a ‘boy’ in her childhood – but mostly in appearance and speech wise. But she always felt her personality to be of a girl. According to Monika, from a long time ago she wanted to live like a girl and her classmates used to make fun of her because of her choices and wishes.

Because of all this, Monika remained quite isolated. When class-mates used to taunt her, she used to cry a lot after coming home. However, she did not let her self-confidence break and decided to carve out her own identity as a transgender. She studied diligently and moved closer to success.

Monika completed her from Navodaya Vidyalaya and later graduated from Patna University. She then went on to earn the LLB degree from Patna Law College. Her father Bhagwan Das Dholi was a sales tax officer, while mother Anima Rani Bhowmick is a retired BSNL employee. Monika's two brothers are in bank and two are into private jobs, as reported by Dainik Jagaran.

Achieving the professional niche was not an easy feat for Monika because her individuality was being questioned by society throughout. “Earlier the society only recognised two genders – male or female. There was no place for the third gender. As a student, I was compelled to fill all my educational and professional forms as Gopal Kumar under male category. But following a direction in 2014 by the apex court that gave due recognition to transgenders under third gender, I decided to change my official name to Monika Das and my gender to transgender,” Monika shared, as per a report by DNA.

Transgenders are not often treated equally in our society even today, but for all those who hide their identity due to the fear of society and family, and for every transgender out there, the story of Monika Das is no less than an inspiration. There was a time when Monica's family members felt embarrassed because of who she naturally felt like, but today, the entire family is proud of her.