India’s First Transgender IAS Officer

Aishwarya Rutuparna Pradhan, widely recognised as India’s first openly transgender civil servant, has emerged as an inspiration through her journey from a small village in Odisha to public service. Born as Ratikanta Pradhan in Kandhamal district, she faced discrimination and social challenges from a young age. Despite the difficulties, she continued her education, completing a postgraduate degree in Public Administration and studying English Journalism at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. She later cleared the Odisha Financial Service examination in 2010 and joined the service as a Commercial Tax Officer.

Pradhan publicly embraced her transgender identity following the Supreme Court’s 2014 judgment recognising transgender people as a third gender and affirming their constitutional rights. She later became officially recognised as transgender in government records. Despite facing social challenges, she continued to perform her professional responsibilities and also worked to raise awareness about the rights and dignity of transgender people. Her journey has been cited as an example of perseverance and representation in public service.