Six months after sex change, NER staffer still faces ‘identity crisis’

GORAKHPUR: When Rajesh Pandey (35) decided to go in for a sex change and got the new identity as Sonia Pandey six months ago, little did she know that she would have to fight her way to get her name changed in official records.
Rajesh (now Sonia), who has been working in the North Eastern Railway (NER) headquarters in Gorakhpur since 2003, has been trying to convince the officials to get her gender changed in documents.
“I will fight to the finish. I am happy that I am not alone and there are many others like me. I am sure one day I will get recognition on paper too,” Sonia said.
Public relations officer, NER, CP Chauhan, said, “This is first such case in NER when someone has applied for gender change in records. It is a technical issue and action will be taken after reviewing the legal part of the matter.”
Sonia is posted at Izzat Nagar railway workshop at the office of chief workshop manager under technical grade-1. After the death of her father, Rajesh got the job in his place in 2003. Her elder brother, who was also in the railway, died in 2008. Since then, Sonia has been looking after her mother and younger sisters.
“I felt in my mid-teens that I have a soul of a woman in a man’s body but under family pressure I was married to a girl in 2012. I told my partner about my condition and in 2014 we took divorce through mutual understanding. With the help of a friend, I got my gender changed in Delhi,”she said.
“Initially, my family members and relatives were not happy with my decision but now they have started accepting me. Once I get my name changed in documents, I will reveal my relationship with my male partner with whom I am very happy,” she said.