As he is wheeled in for his first surgery for gender re-assignment, constable Lalit Kumar Salve tells mid-day that those who feel trapped in the wrong body should come forward and look for solutions
Lalita Salve
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Beed constable Lalit Kumar, also known as Lalita Salve, is full of joy after the Chief Minister approved his application to undergo a sex change surgery to transition from a female to a male. Speaking to mid-day, Lalit profusely thanked everyone who has helped him along the way, and says he feels like the "happiest man on the planet" after getting the chance to go through with his transition and return to his job as policeman.
CM Devendra Fadnavis had cleared Kumar's application on March 21. On Sunday, he was overjoyed upon receiving the official letter from the Beed superintendent of police giving him the go-ahead for the surgery and to return to his job as a policeman after it was over.
mid-day caught up with Kumar to chat about the surgery and his life thereafter. Below are excerpts from the tete-a-tete:
Whom would you like to thank?
I would like thank CM Devendra Fadanvis, who cleared my file, my [Beed] superintendent of police Shreedhar Govindrajan, who also supported me. MLA Vidyatai Chauhan, MLA RT Deshmukh and MLA Dhananjay Munde, also gave me support in the process.
What is your message for people of your village who supported you?
My villagers supported me everywhere and stood by me and my family whenever required. Many of them even helped monetarily. I want to ask them to always be by my side like this.
Who is with you in Mumbai for the procedure?
My uncle Arjun Ujgare, who has been with me since the first day, my younger brother Balu Salve and uncle Bharat Bansode are talking to the doctors and running here and there as per their instructions.
Are you apprehensive about the surgery?
No, not at all. I am very excited and waiting for the time the doctors will perform the surgery that I have been awaiting for a long time. I'm really unable to fully express my feelings about this.
What is your message for others who may want to go down this road?
I would like to tell the people who really feel like they are in the wrong body to come forward like me. Don't give up on your pain and try to find the solution. I was also upset in those days, but I fought and finally got it [the chance to undergo the surgery]. Now, I feel like the happiest man on the planet.
What is the first thing you want to do after surgery?
I have not decided on it yet. These days, all I dream about is my surgery.
Will you get married in the future?
I will decide on that later and it will depend on what the doctor says.
Do you believe the police department will accept you in your new identity?
Yes, I am very much positive about that.
Also read: Beed cop Lalita Salve sex change saga: Doctors start pre-surgery procedures
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