Congratulations to Anjali Lama for becoming the first transgender model ever to walk the runway of one of India’s biggest fashion extravaganzas! Yes, the Nepali model will be making her debut at Lakmé Fashion Week in February – a year after she was rejected for the event.

Lama had first auditioned for the show last year but she finally got in which signifies greater acceptance of a community that is commonly snubbed in spite of new laws that guarantee their protection and more opportunities. She will be showcasing creations by several leading designers at the show happening in Mumbai from February 1 to 5.

Of course, the 32-year-old model is not a new face in Nepali fashion scene where she has been a household name having appeared on various fashion events and magazine covers. She sure has come a long way since her childhood days in her village where she was tormented by some of her family members and discriminated for being ‘different’, for being born with a soul that did not match the gender.

I had had the chance to interview her for one of the leading publications few years ago and during our conversation, I remember her mentioning to be part of any huge national or international fashion show as her dream. Well, I personally feel great to see her fulfill her ambition. Her perseverance finally paid off.

By participating in the upcoming event, she has not only drawn more attention to the community she belongs to but has also become another thing for our country Nepal to be proud of. Kudos to Anjali Lama!

Here are a few glimpses of Anjali Lama’s  journey so far:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_75GJb8yn-I&app=desktop