Miss Universe India 2024: Navya Singh Breaks Barriers As The First Trans Woman Participant

If you want change, you have to be part of the change process. And one such name is Navya Singh, who is changing the way we look at trans women. This actress, model, dancer and advocate of the trans women community has become a prominent name in the entertainment and fashion industry.

She faced gender dysphoria and got reintroduced to her true self in her teen years. After shifting to Mumbai in 2011, she underwent sex reassignment surgery to be one with her gender identity. She has become part of the fashion and entertainment industry and is a trans women's rights champion.

She began modelling with the Lakme Fashion Week 2016 and has walked for the likes of Wendell Rodricks and Archana Kocchar. She was the only trans woman to be a part of the show. She has also been part of the Bombay Times Fashion Week which helped focus on diverse gender identities and acceptance. She recently was part of the Colours show Krishna Nandini in which her character Anuradha was a trans woman professor. She was also part of the Life Ok show Savdhaan India. Navya was the Miss Transqueen India ambassador for many years and has been a representative of the community. She has anchored Project Angels, India’s first national reality show on trans women. She got the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Icon Award Films as the Super Model of India in 2021.

Navya recently broke barriers by being chosen as one of the top 11 finalists from the Maharashtra finale of the Miss Universe India 2024 pageant. She will compete with contestants from other states in September. This was the first time that trans women became part of the event. And it speaks of inclusivity and representation.

She speaks to, The Free Press Journal, on her journey to becoming who she is, her career and more.

Excerpts from the interview:

We first want to know about your journey into being a trans woman and who you are.

I was born in a conservative Sikh joint family in Katihar, Bihar. We have a happy family. I come from a Zamindar family. When I was born, my birth-assigned gender was a boy. While growing up, I realised at age 13 that my body and soul don't match each other. I have a body which says I was a boy. But my soul always felt that I was a female or girl. From that time, you can say that my transition journey started. I had to struggle a lot. I come from a village so the societal shackles were there. Since I was from a Zamindar family, I used to be scared a lot to say all of this in front of my father or elders because, for them, I was their 'kulvansh' who would carry forward their traditions and legacy.

For 18 years, I have heard the taunts of the society in the village. Because of me, my parents have had to feel ashamed many times. I used to be made fun of, along with my parents. But I did not lose hope. I thought, today or tomorrow I will prove myself. I thought, if I do not answer people’s questions, but answer my questions, then it will make me better in life. And that is what makes me unique today. I think my journey from being ordinary to extraordinary, being a trans woman, and becoming who I am today, is me. It was not easy.

What are the ups and downs in your journey of becoming Navya Singh?

Everyone’s individual life has ups and downs. But when it comes to me, I guess life has been a roller coaster. When I was young, I used to get love at the age of 11-12. But that love was rejected. Instead of love, I used to get taunts from society. They used to laugh at my femininity. So, I felt that I had endured all these rejections. When no one in the family accepted me, everyone thought I was a joke. Whenever there was a function, everyone used to make fun of me. They used to say that I dance like a girl. I didn’t understand it at that time. I thought it was their love. But gradually, I understood that it wasn't love. It was their joke.

At around 13-14 age, I had become quite vulnerable because I had gone through sexual abuse. I had been discriminated against by my family and society. I was bullied a lot, especially in school. I was a victim of rape. When you hear a word like rape, you can understand it shakes your soul. I had gone through stuff after which I had stopped believing people.

I feel that when I was sexually abused and raped at that time, I became strong right then. People break down especially people like me who are from a village and soft from inside. That person will break down. I couldn't take a stand for myself. But I don't know from where I got strength and I faced everything with courage. And that courage is still with me to date.

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How has your family reacted to you being a transwoman?

At the start, my family and I had a lot of disagreements esp. my father. My father is a journalist. I was from a conservative family and my father was rude and dominating. From the very beginning, he started saying no a lot. He stopped seeing my face. When I was 18, I decided to come to Mumbai. And my father thought – ‘Okay let’s send him. Maybe he will change. Maybe his thinking will change. But I knew that my dreams would get wings when I came. When I took the help of doctors and psychiatrists, I requested my dad to come just once and meet the doctors. After that, whatever decision he makes, I will be with him. He came and spoke to the doctors. He underwent counselling sessions. When he came out of the hospital, he hugged me and said – ‘I never knew why I never understood you. Why I never understood under what mental stress my child was going through. What dilemma were you going through? What battle were you fighting? I don’t care what people have to say about you. You are my child and part of me. And I will always be there for you’. I think that has given me enough boost in my life.

Let's talk about your participation in the Miss Universe India crown.

Before Miss Universe India, I was part of Miss Trans Queen India. I’m a brand ambassador of Miss Trans Queen India, India’s first national transgender beauty pageant. To come to Miss Universe India is important to me as I want to be the voice of those girls or trans girls who are in villages in some ways and have to face daily discrimination or physical abuse and cannot raise their voices for themselves. It is because I too have come from a somewhat rural area and know the position of LGBT out there or that there is still a taboo out there. I wanted to break those myths and stereotypes. So, I thought Miss Universe India was such a platform where I would be able to put my voice and opinions strongly. And I chose Maharashtra because my journey, in some ways, started from Maharashtra 14-15 years ago. When I came here, I was nothing. Today, people know me. So, I felt Maharashtra was the place that gave me visibility and Astitva.

Do share your experience of reaching the finale.

I was auditioning in Maharashtra audition and was in the top 11. And out of 100 incredible women, the first time only I got into Top 11 and so I thought this is the journey. I have to practise or train more for the Miss Universe India national platform. But suddenly I heard that the national finale audition is happening and every state girl can audition here. So, it's a golden opportunity for everyone. I decided to go to Delhi and I auditioned again. And I finally am part of Miss Universe India. And I am just a few steps away from the crown. And I am working hard for it.

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How did you bag Krishna Mohini?

Krishna Mohini is the golden feather, I can say. It is one of the biggest achievements I have in my life now. I never expected what I wished for always and the fights I was having for a while to work as a normal person and not a stereotypical role. And I have got that role. Professor Anuradha will always remain close to my heart. And I want to thank Colours TV and the entire team of Krishna Mohini with whom I had such a good experience. I have quite a few sweet memories related to Krishna Mohini. And I have lived my real life with my reel life. So, it's a big deal for me.

Will you use your position to create more awareness?

I would like to thank all the media for supporting me in this journey. I don’t expect anything from others because my journey is such that my loved ones have rejected me. But yes, if this message reaches those people who still want to move ahead in life due to obstacles or due to lack of visibility, I would like to tell them to move ahead. You will have to do it yourself. You will have to go to the well yourself. You have to tie a rope in the bucket and throw the bucket down. After that, you have to pull the water up by applying force. If the water is clean, then it is a good thing. And if the water is not clean, you will also have to clean the water. So, if you are thirsty, you have to quench your thirst. So, you have to move ahead.