UIDAI gives recognition to transsexuals

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has followed the example of the Election Commission, and has decided to give an identity to the transgenders of India.

Enrolment forms of the UIDAI will have a third column - 'T', for transgender - along with the 'M' and 'F' for Male and Female, so that over a million eunuchs can register their unique identities.

The EC announced a similar decision on 20 February this year, and the Bihar assembly elections beginning later this month have seen, for the first time, a separate column 'O' - for 'others', meaning intersex and transsexuals - in voter enrolment and registration forms.

''It was a legitimate demand and we said let others follow our example. It is a good thing that the UIDAI is doing it. In the voter enrolment, the officials refused to register them as females because of their male voice so we decided to do this,'' chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi said.

Brand ambassador likely
A brand ambassador for the government's highly ambitious UID project could be on the cards, as there is a line of thought in the UIDAI that favours this, according to a report.

Given the complexities involved in the task, especially in positioning the project and relevant communication to 1.2 billion Indians, a well-known brand ambassador would be of great help, according to UIDAI's head of demand generation, communication and awareness, Shankar Maruwada.