Jaipur: Raveena Singh was raised as a boy named Ravindra Singh in a conservative family in Sojat City in Rajasthan’s Pali district. Yet from an early age, her heart and soul resonated with a different truth—she felt like a girl. Her gestures, the way she spoke and the choices she made all expressed her authentic self. Despite facing rejection and lack of support, Ravindra’s determination never wavered. On Aug 2, she became the first transgender lawyer to register as a woman named Raveena with the Bar Council of Rajasthan—marking a historic milestone. Her journey from a conservative upbringing to the hallowed halls of the Rajasthan High Court is a testament to her resilience and determination. Raveena always felt a disconnect between her assigned gender and her true identity. Despite societal pressures and familial expectations, she embraced her authentic self, a decision that came with its own set of challenges. “I may have a manly body but I act, walk and think like a woman,” she recalls telling her family, a revelation that was met with resistance. Raveena’s path was not an easy one. She was initially compelled to conform to the traditional roles expected of the transgender community, such as singing and dancing at auspicious occasions—a practice she found uncomfortable and stigmatising. “There was vulgarity involved; things I did not like,” she shares. Her aspirations lay elsewhere. Driven by a desire to advocate for her community, she pursued a law degree from Maharaja Ganga Singh University in Bikaner. On Aug 2, Raveena’s dream came to fruition as she registered with the Bar Council of Rajasthan, a historic milestone that she hopes will pave the way for greater representation of transgender individuals in all professional fields. “My career as a lawyer has just started but I also work as a freelance makeup artist to sustain myself financially,” she explains, in an exclusive interview with TOI. “I will fight for transgender rights. Just as there are men and women in every field—politics, civil services, education—there should also be transgender representation in these fields,” she asserts. She points out the irony that while the Supreme Court has mandated rights for transgenders in education and employment, official categories for transgenders are still missing in many systems. “If my story inspires even one transgender person, I will be happy,” she says, while filing a writ petition related to transgender rights at the Rajasthan high court Tuesday.
