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  • Padma Lakshmi enrolled as an advocate, becomes Kerala's first transgender lawyer

    National
    Padma Lakshmi enrolled as an advocate, becomes Kerala's first transgender lawyer
    Padma Lakshmi was among the more than 1,500 law graduates who received their Bar enrolment certificates on...

    Digital Desk: Padma Lakshmi became Kerala's first transgender lawyer when she joined as an advocate with the State Bar Council.

    P Rajeev, the state's industries minister, congratulated her by posting a photograph of her on the social media site Instagram.

    According to the minister's post, Padma Lakshmi was one of over 1,500 law graduates who were handed over the Bar enrolment certificate and a ceremony organised by the Bar Council of India on Sunday. Padma Lakshmi attended Ernakulam Government Law College.

    Mr Rajeev complimented the young lawyer's efforts in forging a route for herself in the face of a society that isn't always the most encouraging. 

    Mr Rajeev stated in the post, which was translated from Malayalam to English "Congratulations to Padma Lakshmi who overcame all the hurdles of life and enrolled as the first transgender advocate in Kerala. Becoming the first is always the hardest achievement in history. There are no predecessors on the way to the goal. Obstacles will be inevitable. There will be people to mute and discourage. Padma Lakshmi has written her name in the legal history by overcoming all this." 



    "May Padma Lakshmi's life encourage other transgender persons to become advocates," he said. 

    Padma Lakshmi's achievement follows in the footsteps of Joyita Mondal, India's first transgender judge. In 2017, she was appointed as a judge in the Lok Adalat of Islampur, West Bengal.