In a first, TN gives training for transgenders in folk arts

Madurai Collector K Veera Raghav Rao inaugurated it at Gandhi Museum. The training programme is being conducted with the joint efforts of District Social Welfare Department, Swasti- an international health resource centre for the well being of marginalised communities and Social Development Society, an NGO.

Speaking to DT Next, Priya Babu, a transgender activist, said that in the first phase, training is given on three specific arts, karagattam, thappattam and oyilattam. Nearly 25 transgenders have participated in the training.

The four-day programme is designed as a certificate course and completion certificate will be handed over to the participants. They will be recognised as professional artistes after the training. Though several of them are part of many troops even now, they are not considered to be professional artistes and this makes their livelihood uncertain.

If the artistes possess the certificate, they would be respected as professional people and they would have a sustained livelihood. Their names would be added to the list of professional artistes and they will be invited for both government functions and temple festivals, Priya Babu explained.

This is the first such training in the state and if the programme succeeds more transgenders will come forward to acquire training in folk arts and that will lead to a better and sustained livelihood for them, said Priya Babu.

A three-member dedicated team, led by retired folk arts professor Gnanasekar, is giving them training. Malaisamy, a professor at Engineering College at Madurai, who is also an expert at karagattam and part of Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan group, is teaching karagattam to the participants