Mysuru To Host India's First Scientific Study On Gender Transition
Led by the University of Mysore, it is being funded by Dr Anita Prasad, a transwoman and social activist, who has contributed Rs 1 crore.
Published : August 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM IST
|Updated : August 12, 2025 at 3:02 PM IST
By Mahesh M
Mysuru: Dr Anita Prasad — a transwoman, entrepreneur, and social activist — who has also become the first transgender person in Karnataka to secure a driving licence for heavy motor vehicle (HMV), is funding the country's first scientific research on how individuals transition to the third gender led by the University of Mysore's Department of Genetics and Genomics.
First-of-its-Kind Genetic Research on Gender Transition
The university will conduct a three-year study involving 500 participants from across India to understand the genetic and biological factors behind gender transition. The research will examine hereditary structures and genome patterns among transgender individuals to determine what genetic variations trigger such changes.
"We want to identify the genetic and hereditary structures responsible for gender transition. This research will also help provide proper treatment to those in the early stages of transition so that they can remain in their birth-assigned gender if they choose to," Dr Sutturu S Malini, head of the Department of Genetics and Genomics, said.
Participants will undergo functional MRI scans, blood and chromosome analysis, liver, kidney, and heart tests, as well as psychological counselling. The study will also look into the economic, social, and family conditions of transgender persons. Each participant's assessment is expected to cost around Rs 80,000, with Dr Prasad's Anita Humanitarian Foundation contributing Rs 1 crore to fund the project.
"For the first time, such a study is happening in India. Many transgender persons face health issues like hypertension, panic attacks, and genetic modifications that may occur even before birth. This research will bring clarity and hopefully stop discrimination and displacement faced by the community," Prasad said.
From Research Patron to Trailblazing Driver
Alongside funding the genetic research, Prasad has created another milestone by becoming the first transgender person in Karnataka to obtain an HMV licence, allowing her to drive buses and heavy goods vehicles. A trained engineer with 30 years' experience in IT, aircraft design and piloting, she returned to India after 23 years abroad.
"If I want to start a transport and logistics business, I should know how to drive heavy vehicles myself. That's why I learnt it," she explained.
Transport and Employment for Transgender Persons and Women
She plans to launch a luxury transport service between Bengaluru and Belagavi, employing only women, transgender drivers and staff. For this, she is in talks with Volvo and Mercedes-Benz to design customised double-decker buses for her venture, with potential expansion to the Belagavi–Mumbai route.
"I want to create dignified employment for women and transgender persons. We have already trained 600 members of the community in self-employment skills, and I want to show society that begging or sex work is not the only option," she said.
Here is Our Future: Aviation and Drone Manufacturing
Her ventures extend beyond transport. Through her company, Vistaric Robotics, she is entering drone manufacturing near Bengaluru Airport, with plans to explore aircraft production in collaboration with international partners.
Her journey, however, has not been without hardship. "After my transition, my wife and daughter separated from me. But that didn't stop me. The research and the businesses are my way of contributing to society to prove that we can rise above prejudice," she said.
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