For a long time, Nikki Kerketta struggled with her identity. She tried to integrate herself into a culture that did not accept her for who she was as a transgender woman. Challenges existed at home, school, and college. She battled with accepting her own identity for years. The fact that she is a member of a tribal group did not assist. And that she is a Jharkhand native from Chaibasa.
But she remained persistent. The goal of Kerketta was to become a model. After finishing her 12th grade year, she began her modelling career. She is quite pleased of her body of work, which she has now at the age of 31.
When she first began donning her sister’s clothing, she was in sixth grade. “I used to dress up like them and enjoyed myself much. I used to adore dancing and applying makeup on my face. However, I kept this portion of my life a secret from my family, she claims.
She immediately reacted by suppressing her sensations and emotions after realising she was transsexual. She battled. When she finally had enough of this conflict, she made the decision to accept her new self. But her family members had a very strong reaction. She would be humiliated by her sisters. She would be mocked by society.
Giving up, however, was not an option. She accepted many modelling jobs from 2011 to 2016 while keeping her family in the dark. They ultimately learned, but they never pestered her.
“My mother did not encourage me to pursue my career, but she never made me leave the home. I never really gave a damn about what others thought of me, she claims.
She was able to relax after modelling. She took part in runway walks and fashion shows in Jamshedpur and received several honours. Her family did not agree with her plan to leave India to follow her ambitions, hence she was unable to do so. She nonetheless kept modelling. She looked after her mother when her father passed away. Her four sisters are now all married.
At the moment, Kerketta is teaching aspiring models in Jamshedpur. When asked what her toughest problem was, she replies that being a member of a tribal group wasn’t much of a help.
“Things would have been simple for me if I had lived in a major city, but in a state like Jharkhand, people do not support transsexual persons. If I wasn’t tribal, it wouldn’t have been as difficult. People wouldn’t have complained to the way I dressed or lived, she claims.
It’s much harder in her region of the planet. “When your family members learn that you are transgender, you either feel pressured to leave or decide to leave on your own. Sometimes, transgender persons who reveal their identities are physically assaulted. Many of my friends experienced this. They were compelled to get their hair cut off. In a tribal setting, a transsexual lady is not accepted. It’s very hard to pursue a career in modelling, she claims.
There are several tribes in Chaibasa. She was born and raised there. She completed her 12th grade education here. Later, she relocated to the nearby city of Jamshedpur. There are a sizable number of transgender people living in both districts.
According to Uthan, a group that advocates for transgender rights, there are 500 transgender persons living in Chaibasa and more than 2,000 transgender people residing in Jamshedpur. In Ranchi, there are around 200 transgender people living. The Jharkhand Election Commission’s figures, however, show that as of January 2019, there were just 307 people of the third gender.
Divya, 24, is a transgender lady from the tribal culture who enjoys modelling, much as Kerketta. She finds it challenging at times to ignore the insults and filthy remarks. “People believe tribal people have the right to criticise other people’s appearances because they seem different from the others. I try to hide as much of my body as I can when modelling because of this, she adds.
Chaibasa-based Divya was expelled from her home. “They asked me to leave after I admitted I was transsexual. They would make me feel bad. I wanted to terminate my life. My father passed away in 2019, and my mother in 2012. My brothers won’t speak to me, and all of my sisters are married. I accomplished my graduation someway. I do modelling jobs and work in Jamshedpur,” she claims.
Jamshedpur-based Pihu Devgam, a young transgender model, is 21 years old. She was harassed at school to the point that she gave up on her studies after the tenth standard. “My classmates would make obscene remarks and unwanted physical contact with me. I was unable to complete my education, she claims.
Struggles still exist. She has several difficulties as a result of being transsexual. Organisations favour giving opportunity to males and women over transgender people. In terms of modelling, Jamshedpur doesn’t have much to offer. Additionally, there is little support for members of the transgender community. I would want to leave Jamshedpur and begin modelling if I had help.
Many transgender role models from the tribal group, like Nikki, Divya, and Pihu, are “walking” with pride. It’s not, however, as simple as it looks.
The secretary of Uthan, Amarjeet Singh Shergill, compares it to trying to touch the moon, which is quite challenging. “There is nothing the state government is doing for them. They are not covered by any plans. Even the most basic need, a toilet, is difficult to come by. I also had pain. Both the men’s and women’s restrooms are off limits to us. I’ve contacted the concerned department multiple letters, but to no effect.
In many areas of Jharkhand, according to Shergill, people are still hesitant to expose their identities. They get no system of assistance. These individuals repress their urges as a result. Some of them are employed as contract workers or in fields. Transgender youngsters are reluctantly sent to school by their families. They are not permitted to leave the home once they reach adulthood. These youngsters are brilliant and gifted. We can do a lot if properly nurtured, adds Shergill.
Despite the many obstacles, there are also success tales. Riya Tirkey, 25, was crowned Femina Miss India Jharkhand in 2022. She was the first member of her tribe to gain this coveted position.
“Modelling is really difficult for a tribal trans lady. But once they demonstrate their guts and will, there is no stopping them. My own experience has shown me that the public was not ready to accept a tribal girl as a model or in the world of fashion. After seven years of battles, they finally began to take me seriously,” she claims.
She oversees a modelling school in Ranchi where she develops aspiring models and designers. She adds she would be delighted to mentor and train a transsexual lady.
