Pmc Jobs Transforming Lives Of Pune Transgender Women
Indian Express
For years, the streets were their workplace. Traffic signals, shopfronts and crowded marketplaces became places where they sought money to survive, often enduring ridicule, harassment and rejection
. Many had been pushed out of their homes, denied opportunities and left with few choices.
Today, dressed in uniform and reporting for duty as Security guards at Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), three transwomen say a formal job has given them something they longed for all their lives, “respect”.
“People now call me ‘Madam’,” says Sejal Ballolli, smiling at the change she once thought was impossible.
“There were days when people mocked us and humiliated us. I used to think, ‘I am educated, why am I living like this?'” she recalls. Today, as a PMC employee, she says people treat her with dignity, and even family members who once distanced themselves have gradually accepted her. “Even if you earn less through a job, the respect you receive is priceless,” she says.
For Vaidehi Warhade, the journey began with dreams of becoming an engineer. A BTech student in Nagpur, she dropped out after facing bullying and struggling with her gender identity. After moving to Pune, she joined the transgender community and survived by collecting money at traffic signals. “I always knew I wanted a career. I never imagined spending my entire life at signals,” says Warhade.
With support from LGBTQ+ organisations and employment initiatives, she secured a corporate job before joining PMC. Today, she balances work with pursuing an LLB degree and hopes to become an advocate.
Warhade believes employment changes more than livelihoods; it changes perceptions. “People have many assumptions about the transgender community. But when they work with us and interact with us, they realise we are just like everyone else,” she says.
Today, she hopes to clear her pending Class 10 subjects and continue her education.
The transformation is visible in small moments that many people take for granted. Landlords who once hesitated to rent homes to them now see them as salaried employees. Neighbours who avoided conversations now greet them by name. Family members who once worried about “what people would say” have slowly begun accepting them back into their lives.
For many transgender persons in India, formal employment remains difficult to access despite legal recognition and increasing inclusion efforts. Limited educational opportunities, family rejection, workplace discrimination and social stigma often push many towards begging or sex work. Against this backdrop, a stable government-linked job represents more than financial security; it offers visibility, legitimacy and independence.
The job not only brought financial stability but also helped restore relationships with family members who had once rejected them.
Though their journeys differ, the three women share a common belief: employment has given them something far more valuable than a salary. It has given them confidence, acceptance and a sense of belonging.
Despite their different backgrounds, all three women speak about education with unfinished hope. One left nursing behind, another abandoned engineering before returning to law school, and the third hopes to restart her studies after years away from the classroom. For them, employment has not ended their aspirations; it has revived them.
Their message to fellow transgender persons is simple: do not give up.
Warhade, who is pursuing an LLB while working with PMC, urges others to continue their education despite the challenges. “Keep studying and keep trying. Opportunities are increasing, and education can change your life,” she says.
Ballolla believes dignity matters more than quick money. “Work hard, earn your own identity and never underestimate the value of respect,” she says.
Annapurne, who hopes to resume her studies, encourages others to stay hopeful. “Even if people reject you today, don’t stop believing in yourself. Life can change,” she says.
For these women, a PMC uniform is more than work attire. It is a symbol of survival, resilience and the opportunity to dream again. In a society where many transgender persons are still fighting for acceptance, their stories show how a single opportunity can transform lives and restore the dignity that was denied for far too long.