From Sex Work to Corporate Success : A Transgender's Journey

By Mariya Rajan

November 1, 2025

Transgender people in India have long faced exclusion and stigma. From concealing their identities to being judged and discriminated against, their lives continue to be marked by struggle. According to the 2011 Census, India recorded over 4.8 lakh transgender individuals, though activists say the actual number is much higher due to widespread underreporting and social invisibility. Even today, despite the 2014 Supreme Court judgment recognizing trans people as the “third gender” and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, many continue to face barriers in education, employment, housing, and healthcare.

Yet, Nayana’s journey stands out as a story of resilience and hope. Born as a boy, she transitioned to become a trans woman—overcoming immense hardship to transform her life. Once forced into sex work for survival, today she works as a marketing associate at an IT company in Bengaluru, proving that determination can rewrite one’s destiny. Born in Udupi to a modest family, Nayana always knew she was a woman at heart. But growing up, she faced relentless bullying and was branded with hurtful slurs reserved for the “third gender.”

She moved to Pune and joined a transgender community, surviving for years through begging and sex work — a reality for nearly half of India’s transgender population, as per a 2018 National Human Rights Commission study, which found that 96% of trans people are denied jobs and 60% are forced into sex work or begging.

Eventually, Nayana resolved to rebuild her life. Returning to Bengaluru, she took computer and multimedia courses, connected with NGOs, and began administrative work supporting sexual minorities. Her journey from exclusion to empowerment mirrors the broader struggle of India’s transgender community - a fight not just for acceptance, but for dignity, opportunity, and equality.