Dipti Mahapatra becomes Odisha’s first transgender selected for PhD in Odia

In a landmark achievement, transgender woman Dipti Mahapatra has been selected for a PhD (Junior Research Fellowship) in Odia language at Utkal University. With this selection, Dipti has become the first Kinnar (transgender) PhD scholar in Odisha, marking a significant milestone for inclusion and academic diversity in the State, sources said on Monday.

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Dipti said her research will focus on the social issues faced by the third gender and aims to provide a new direction to understanding and addressing their challenges. She emphasised that while men and women have employment opportunities in society, the third-gender individuals also deserve equal rights and opportunities.

Expressing confidence about the future, Dipti stated that after completing her PhD, her research could be applied in academia, enabling third-gender individuals to contribute as professors and scholars, and helping create a more inclusive educational environment.

When contacted, the PhD scholar said, “Usually Odia youths are poor in the language. Many men and women are reluctant to speak in Odia, even if they know the language. I am, as a transgender, a person with different sorts of abilities. Hence, I always prefer to do something different in my life.”

“My efforts are to promote my mother tongue (Odia) and help it reach higher places. I will keep striving in this regard in the future. Nowadays, transgender people are being looked at differently. Such a type of perspective is not desirable in a civic society,” the scholar stated.

“Since ancient days, as per our mythology, up to modern times, they have always played crucial roles in every field. I will work to help ensure that they have a say in society and are accepted by the people,” the research scholar added.