I was just 15 when I knew I couldn't stay home any longer. Growing up in a small village near Bangalore, my very existence seemed to be a source of shame for my family.

"मैं अपने आप को कभी माफ़ नहीं कर पाऊंगी।" (Mai apne aap ko kabhi maaf nahi kar paugi.) [I can never forgive myself.]

The whispers, the looks, the constant attempts to "fix" me—they were suffocating. When I finally embraced my true self, the choice was clear: leave or be destroyed.

"यहाँ रहने से अच्छा है भाग जाना।" (Yahan rehne se accha hai bhag jana.) [It's better to run away than to stay here.]

Mumbai became my refuge, but survival here is an art I had to learn quickly. With no formal education—I had dropped out of school after years of bullying and harassment—my options were painfully limited. The streets became my classroom, and necessity became my most brutal teacher.

"जिंदगी ने मुझे सिखाया है कि हर रोज लड़ना है।" (Zindagi ne mujhe sikhaya hai ki har roz larna hai.) [Life has taught me that I must fight every day.]

At first, I survived through a combination of badhai performances at weddings and functions. These ceremonial appearances where transgender individuals are traditionally invited to offer blessings became my lifeline. Some days, I'd earn ₹500 to ₹1000 for a performance. But it was unpredictable, and the money was never enough.

"एक दिन राजा, एक दिन भिखारी।" (Ek din raja, ek din bhikhari.) [One day a king, the next day a beggar.]

The nights were harder. When wedding performances were scarce, I found myself with fewer and fewer options. Sex work became a means of survival—not a choice, but a desperate attempt to keep myself fed, to have a roof over my head, to exist. Each day was a battle between maintaining my dignity and meeting my basic needs.

"मेरा शरीर, मेरा संघर्ष, मेरा अधिकार।" (Mera shareer, mera sangharsh, mera adhikar.) [My body, my struggle, my right.]

My community became my family. The guruma who took me in showed me how to navigate the harsh realities of life. She taught me about safety, about supporting each other, about finding strength in our shared struggles. When I couldn't find consistent work, she would help me find odd jobs—cleaning, helping in small shops, running errands.

"हमारी परिवार वही है जो हमें चुनता है।" (Hamari parivar wahi hai jo humein chunta hai.)

[Our family is those who choose us.]

I dreamed of more. During rare moments of hope, I would visit the local NGO that supported transgender individuals. They offered basic computer classes, helped with documentation, provided some counseling. These were glimpses of a different life—a life where I could be more than just surviving.

"सपने छोटे नहीं होते, इरादे बड़े होते हैं।" (Sapne chote nahi hote, irade bade hote hain.) [Dreams are not small, intentions are big.]

My greatest challenge was always documentation. Without proper school certificates, without supportive family to help me obtain identity papers, I existed in a bureaucratic shadow. No Aadhaar card, no bank account, no formal way to prove my existence beyond the immediate moment.

"कागज़ों में मेरा नाम नहीं, पर जिंदगी में मेरा अस्तित्व है।" (Kagazon mein mera naam nahi, par zindagi mein mera astitva hai.) [No name on papers, but I exist in life.]

Some days, the weight of my circumstances feels overwhelming. The statistics are brutal—98% of people like me unable to find corporate jobs, pushed to the margins of society. But I refuse to become just another statistic. Each day I survive is an act of rebellion, of hope.

"मैं संख्या नहीं हूँ, मैं एक कहानी हूँ।" (Mai sankhya nahi hoon, mai ek kahaani hoon.) [I am not a number, I am a story.]

Now, at 36, I'm taking small steps. I'm learning English through free classes at a community center. I'm saving every rupee I can, keeping it with my guruma for safekeeping. My dream is simple: to have a life where I'm not just surviving, but living. To have a job where I'm valued for my skills, not judged for my identity. To have a bank account, a home, a future that I can call my own.

"मेरी उम्र हो गई है, पर मेरे सपने अभी भी जवान हैं।" (Meri umra ho gayi hai, par mere sapne abhi bhi jawan hain.) [My age has come, but my dreams are still young.]

The road is long, and it's far from easy. But I am here. I am resilient. I am surviving.

"मैं हूँ। मैं जीवित हूँ। मैं लड़ रही हूँ।" (Mai hoon. Mai jeevit hoon. Mai larh rahi hoon.) [I am. I am alive. I am fighting.]