From : 								Date : 11/4/2004
Priyanka Thakker.

To,
The Chairperson.
Maharashtra Human Rights Commission.
9, Hajarimal Somani Marg,
Near CST Railway Station,
Mumbai - 400 001.

Respected Justice Mr. Mane,

I would like to bring to your kind attention a series of incidents in which I have been denied treatment at  KEM Hospital. Parel. Mumbai - 400 012.
By denying me treatment the hospital has violated my right to equality guaranteed to me under the indian constitution.

I am 33 years old male to female pre-operative transsexual from Mumbai. India.
I have been trying to seek treatment including SRS at KEM Hospital in Parel, Mumbai. 

I had visited the said hospital a couple of months back to seek emergency counselling. 

So the psychiatrist who helped me in the casualty department had called me for follow up treatment.
During my follow up visits to the Psychiatry Department Of KEM Hospital, I was asked to seek opinion from Endocrinology Dept., which I did, but the Head Of Dept., Mrs Menon was hostile towards me and refused to accept my case. She said that they would not like to treat a transsexual patient because they were busy dealing with other cases and that treating a transsexual is not on their priority list.

Again on Maarch 16, 2004, I was asked to consult The Head Of Dept., Of Plastic Sugery Mrs. Rana, who was outright hostile towards me and told me that what I was doing was against nature and her idealogy is against tampering anything that is natural and she being aware that I am a transsexual and under counselling for depression asked me to just dress up as a female and live my life, which is ridiculous. She also told me that there is nothing like transsexualism  and that it was merely in my mind. By saying so she has not only insulted me but also knowingly caused me immense mental stress.  

According to medical science transsexualism is medically treatable and it has been proven so all over the world. Even World Health Organization has recognised it is a condition that can be treated. If you need more information on this subject you can refer to the following medical link http://www.symposion.com/ijt/index.htm titled International Journal Of Transgenderism.
By denying me treatment, the above mentioned doctors have violated my right to equality as guaranteed under the constitution, to get treatment at a government run hospital.

I am awaiting for you to raise the matter with the hospital management along with the concerned government departments and take appropriate action, so that no other transsexual has to face discrimination.  

Thanking you and anticipating your action.

Priyanka Thakker.

CC : National Human Rights Commission. New Delhi. India
CC : Ministry Of Health. New Delhi. India