Reshma (1950 - November 2022), popularly known as Reshma of Kashmir, was a transgender singer and activist from Srinagar, Kashmir. [1] [2] She attained celebrity status and videos of her singing have garnered thousands of views on social media. [3]
Reshma was born in Srinagar. She had two sisters and six brothers. [1] At age 11 she realised her talent and love for singing and dancing. [4] As a child, she was bullied for her feminine clothing choices and style of speaking. She dropped out of school after fifth standard as a result, and began working as a tailor under the supervision of her uncle. [1] [4]
At the age of 22, Reshma was asked to sing by a tailoring client after she came by their home in Lal Bazar to drop off some clothes. [1] [4] The head of the client's family gave her a chit with the word "reshma" on it, which Reshma subsequently adopted as her name. [1] Her mother reacted negatively when Reshma told her of the interaction, so she decided not to pursue singing. [1] [4]
She changed her mind in 2001, after she began caring for her brother's four children after he died in an accident. Working as a wedding singer became a viable option for income in order to support her family. [1]
Reshma was at the forefront of transgender community's struggle for dignity in Kashmir. [5] In 2011, Reshma, along with other transgender activists, approached the state's social welfare department to initiate an 'Intervention Plan', aimed at rehabilitating transgender persons in the Valley. [6]
Reshma was included in a 2022 documentary on transgender Kashmiri people, entitled Trans Kashmir. [7] In 2023, she was profiled by writer-activist Aditya Tiwari in the anthology Over the Rainbow: India’s Queer Heroes, published by Juggernaut, alongside figures such as Madhu Kinnar, Rituparno Ghosh, Saleem Kidwai, and Laxmi Narayan Tripathi. [8]
Reshma died from cancer in November 2022 at the age of 70, leaving behind a lasting legacy through her songs and tireless work for the transgender community in India-administered Kashmir. [9]