Kolhapur forms team of 10 transwomen for disaster management and rescue work

The Kolhapur Disaster Management Cell in Maharashtra has recruited ten transgender women to form a rescue team under its ‘Friends in Disaster’ programme. The state government’s disaster management department claimed that this was the first such initiative in the state.

The cell organized a three-day training workshop from 26 to 28 May, where practical information on the operation of boats and rescue methods was provided. Authorities aimed to include members of the transgender community because they were “physically strong and had feminine sensibilities,” which were important elements of rescue operations.

As part of the “friends in disaster” initiative, 10 transgender women affiliated with Kolhapur-based NGO Maitri were appointed after rigorous training, including rescue swimming, dry and wet lifesaving, motor boat operation, Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) operation, outboard motor maintenance and use of First Aid and CPR.

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“Members of the transgender community supported the government during COVID, volunteered and reached out to people with relief assistance. We have been making efforts to include transgender women in rescue efforts since 2023; we have finally achieved some success,” said Prasad Sankpal, District Disaster Management Officer.

The team includes Maitri NGO President Mayuri Alvekar, Shivani Gajbize, Zoya Dinni, Sulabha, Vaishali, Mogra, Suhasini and others.

Mayuri Alwekar (42), who runs a fair-priced ration shop in Kolhapur, mobilized other transgender women in the community and linked up with her NGO. “Initially, during COVID, I faced discrimination firsthand. At first, people did not see me as a savior, but later moving here brought some recognition. So if I continue to work in the public sphere, if I can help the society a little, the existence of the transgender community can be normalized,” Mayuri said.

The last practice was held at Rajaram Lake in Kolhapur. Similar to Mayuri, Suhasini Devmane (36) also joined the rescue team under the Disaster Management Cell because she knew “what it is to feel vulnerable” and that it changed people’s perspective on the community. “People see us as beggars or sex workers, I want them to see us in a different role,” said Suhasini, a tourist guide in Kolhapur, who aims to crack the Destination Tourist Guide Program of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC).

Kolhapur has a history of flash floods as it lies in the Krishna River basin in Western Maharashtra. It is home to powerful rivers such as Panchaganga, Bhogavati, Dudhganga, Warna and Hiranyakeshi, which make certain areas of Kolhapur prone to floods. In the last three decades, Kolhapur has witnessed five floods: 2005, 2006, 2019, 2021 and 2024. Considering the scenario, the Disaster Management Cell is always alert and prepared for uncertainties during monsoon.

According to the Kolhapur administration, Kolhapur was also the first team to form the Apda Sakhi team (an all-women rescue team) in 2019. “The all-women team has been active since 2019 and has carried out many rescue operations,” Mr. Sankpal said.