Transgender duo Mudasir and Rayees earn laurels as frontline workers at srinagar’s main hospital
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Transgender duo Mudasir and Rayees earn laurels as frontline workers at srinagar’s main hospital

Mudasir Ahmad Khan from SK Bala Bandipora and Rayees Ahmad Teli from Magam, Budgam are transgenders and have been working as sweepers/cleaners at the SMHS in summer capital Srinagar for the past seven years.

Post by on Friday, June 4, 2021

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MIR BASEERAT


While the transgender community in Kashmir faces bias, stigma and exclusion in every sector, this did not stop two transgender persons from Bandipora and Budgam from working as frontline workers at Srinagar’s city’s main hospital amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. 

Mudasir Ahmad Khan from SK Bala Bandipora and Rayees Ahmad Teli from Magam, Budgam are transgenders and have been working as sweepers/cleaners at the SMHS in summer capital Srinagar for the past seven years. 

After being appointed as sweepers, Mudasir and Rayees have rendered services to the hospital for which they have earned both respect and laurels. 

Ever since the Covid-19 outbreak in March last year, Mudasir and Rayees have been given the task of cleaning the high-risk Covid-19 wards. This they have accomplished with perfection. 

Talking to Rising Kashmir, Mudasir said he is appointed to look after the Cath lab and has been working tirelessly to ensure the cleanliness of the ward where Covid-19 patients are admitted. 

“I am obliged to perform my duty in this particular laboratory and I am happy to be of some help to those in need,” Mudasir said.

Ten years ago, Mudasir did not have a job as transgender persons in Kashmir have limited work opportunities except working as matchmakers. Following the death of his father, Mudasir took up the job of sweeper at SMHS hospital as taking care of his ailing mother was becoming difficult. 

“I am the only one in my family looking after my mother, who suffers from several health issues,” Mudasir said. 

Mudasir has three other siblings, all brothers. “They have distanced themselves from me as I am a transgender. They don’t even talk with my mother after she started living with me following our father’s death,” Mudasir said.

“I have to bear all the medical expenses of my mother. It is not easy for me as I do not earn that much. I have to manage everything on my own,” Mudasir said.

Mudasir and Rayees live in a rented accommodation in the Karfali Mohalla area of downtown Srinagar. They are engaged as private sweepers at the hospital on a “contractual basis.”

While most of their colleagues, which include healthcare workers as well, in the hospital have tested Covid-19, this did not stop Mudasir and Rayees from diligently performing their duties. 

The duo are seen in gowns, masks, gloves and following all Covid-19 precautions.

Their shift starts at 8:30 in the morning, which continues till 3:30 in the afternoon. Amid the current pandemic, their work timing fluctuates owing to the heavy flow of patients at the hospital, which is one the busiest hospitals in Kashmir. 

The duo gets only two alternate Sunday’s as a holiday every month. 

Talking about their experience, Rayees said that he finds it difficult to survive in a society where they are discriminated against and looked down upon. 

“We are judged because of our gender. Most people treat us with the utmost respect but some people spit while looking at us. That breaks our heart,” Rayees said. 

Rayees said it was difficult for them in the initial days. “This differential treatment would hurt us. However, with time we got used to it and it no longer bothers us. We are confident enough now to face such people who are full of negativity,” Rayees added. 

The duo express dismay at the way society treats transgenders considering, “We are all created by God.” 

“People should know that we too have emotions and feelings and understand that we are human beings as well,” the duo said. 

Setting aside the negativity that is directed against them, the duo said that they are focused on their work. “We work, walk and talk with our heads held high and we no longer pay heed to the negativity around,” they said. 

Rayees works at the Cardiology Ward of the hospital. “I leave no stone unturned to help the patients and maintain the cleanliness in the wards,” Rayees said, and added, “Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene is my sole responsibility and I do not shy away from it.”

Rayees said he is happy that "he is accepted by his family."

“I have good terms with my family. They never discriminate between me and my other siblings,” Rayees said.

After working at their current jobs for close to a decade, the duo believes the transgenders in Kashmir should find a respectable job and earn a decent livelihood, “instead of being idle and staying home.”

The duo said that at first, they were reluctant to work as sweepers at the hospital as they were the only people in the hospital belonging to the “other category”.

“We were afraid at first. However, when we joined we received many compliments and support from our co-workers,” they said, adding, “Many people expressed admiration for what we did and called it courageous.”

This filled us with pride, the duo said. 

The transgender duo said, “their co-workers have been supportive throughout and this gave us a reason to continue working at the hospital despite not being treated well by the patients and their attendants.” 

“We worked together. To be fully accepted as transgenders is something that usually does not happen, and we knew we had to prove that. And we proved that we were capable of doing our jobs professionally,” they said.

With time, the transgender duo said that they were valued at their workplace and “an atmosphere of respect and support grew with time.” 

“We always felt we were a part of a tremendous team as we had their backs and they had ours,” the duo said. 

“I think it is really important for our community right now to find suitable work,” Mudasir said.

Mudasir said that many people show apathy towards their community. "Our society looks at us with pity and we do not want that. We come from respected families too and we want respected jobs too. We want the society to treat us equally as we are no less and no more than you all,” Mudasir said. 

Mudasir believes that the transgender community in Kashmir should come forward and seek work at better places and serve people and society. 

“People will drag you down and insult you but you have to lift yourself and continue doing work with honesty and dedication,” the duo said.

Commenting on the work done by these two transgenders, Sameer Ahmad Sheikh, the owner of Al-Hayat sanitation and their employer, told Rising Kashmir that he had three transgenders working under him. “While Rayees and Mudasir are still working, the third transgender working at SMHS left recently,” he said. 

Sameer’s employees work in different hospitals in the city. “I have hired around 80 people irrespective of their caste, creed or gender,” he said, adding, “I have sanitation workers in hospitals like GB Pant, SMHS, Kashmir Nursing Home and other private hospitals in Srinagar.” 

Sameer said Rayees and Mudasir were working in Shireen Bagh hospital when he took over as a new vendor.

“Keeping in view their impressive work record, I re-hired them so that they could continue with their job and earn a dignified livelihood,” he said.

Sameer is in all praise for the transgender duo and maintains that it is important to end the discrimination against the transgender community in Kashmir. 

“We should provide them with work opportunities like any other person in the society,” he added. 

For the transgender duo Mudasir and Rayees, "it is people around you who make or break you."

With their commendable work as frontline workers amid a global pandemic, the transgender duo has set an example for other transgender people in Kashmir to follow in their footsteps.

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