We too are human beings: Transgender activist Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi said

She had started earning when young, and as she candidly admitted "she used to be the life of the Mumbai parties". It was a phase she completely enjoyed, but she never thought she would one day champion the cause of the transgender community.

'I never saw myself as an activist. It just happened that I got involved in working towards the cause of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. There were many hijras who died on my lap in the hospital because they didn't get medical attention on time,' she recollected.

Her journey began in 2002 when she became the founding board member of the Dai Welfare Society - an organisation that works for the well-being of transgenders.

'This mattered to me. This discrimination and apathy were killing the basic core of humanity. It had to be addressed and I am happy to be a part of this movement,' she added.