“I’m Harshini Mekala, a proud trans woman born in a small village called Balusupadu in Andhra Pradesh.

I was assigned male at birth, but from a very young age, I knew I was a girl. But living as a trans woman in a rural community wasn’t easy. People didn’t understand me, and many were cruel. At school, I was mocked and bullied—treated like I didn’t belong. But through it all, my mother stood beside me like a shield.

She never had the chance to go to school herself, yet she taught me everything that mattered—dignity, love, and self-respect. While others pointed fingers, she held my hand. She worked in the fields from sunrise to sunset but never let me skip a day of school. “Your education is your strength,” she’d say. “No one can take that away from you.”

Because of her, I completed my Master’s in Economics. I became a lecturer, then moved into HR at a multinational company. When she passed away, I was shattered. The grief pushed me into depression. I didn’t know how to move forward without her voice.

But it was her voice that brought me back.

I remembered her dream for me—to live openly, fearlessly, and with pride. I stepped into pageants not just for the crown, but to stand for every trans woman who was told she wasn’t enough. In 2018, I was crowned “Ms. Beautiful Smile” at Miss Transqueen India.

In 2024, I became the runner-up at Miss Universe Trans.

Today, I work with the Telangana Police’s Transgender Protection Cell and collaborate with NGOs that support LGBTQIA+ rights. I’m also a television presenter on a few media platforms. Every step I take carries her strength. Every milestone is hers too.

There’s not a day I don’t miss her. I often find myself whispering, “Amma, are you watching? I kept my promise.”

This Mother’s Day, I just want to say: A mother’s love isn’t measured by her education or status. It’s in how she stands by you, believes in you, and teaches you to believe in yourself. Mine did that—every single day of her life.”