Maharashtra cop Lalita Salve’s first sex change surgery successful

Police constable Lalita Salve. (Express Photo by Prashant Nadkar)

POLICE CONSTABLE Lalita Salve from Beed district underwent first of the two genital reconstruction surgeries at Mumbai’s state-run St George’s Hospital on Friday. However, the constable will have to wait for another six months before she undergoes a second surgery and dons her new identity of ‘Lalit Kumar Salve’.

Salve was admitted to the hospital on Monday, after her application for a gender correction surgery received a nod from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier this month. The surgery was performed by senior plastic surgeon Dr Rajat Kapoor.

“The first surgery has been performed but Salve would require one more surgery before she is able to become a ‘he’ and that would be performed after six months. The first surgery was successful and Salve looks psychological more strong now,” Dr Kapoor told The Indian Express.

After the surgery, Salve has been moved to a special room where she would be monitored for the next two weeks.

“This is not a gender affirmation surgery, as Salve’s genotype is male. We have performed a genital reconstruction surgery. Salve has one testicle, the other one was removed when she was a child. The surgery will give her a new identity of that of a male,” said Dr Kapoor.

“After the surgery I have started calling Salve Lait Kumar. She has come a long way and we are sure that like the first, the second surgery will also be a success,” Salve’s uncle Arjun Ujagrea said.

Inducted in Maharashtra Police in 2010, Salve is currently attached with Damini Pathak, a specialised unit. In March this year, Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, had cleared the file permitting Salve to undergo a gender reassignment surgery.