Kamal Ghorui
BOMBAY TIMES EXCLUSIVECricketer and trans-rights advocate Anaya Bangar’s transition journey is no longer a solitary battle. While her younger brother Atharva has always stood firmly by her side, her parents (former cricketer Sanjay Bangar and Kashmira Bangar) have now come around, offering complete emotional and financial support as she prepares for a major milestone in her transition.In an exclusive conversation, Anaya shared, “I will be undergoing gender-affirming surgery (vaginoplasty) in March. Fashion designer Saisha Shinde and actress Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, who have also undergone the procedure, guided me. I’ll be having the surgery at the same clinic in Thailand, where I’ll need to stay for at least a month. After that, I’ll have to rest for a while. I won’t be able to play cricket for at least six months, but I’m glad this is finally happening.”Anaya says the timing of her decision was shaped by both family support and financial stability. “I’ve waited for this moment for five years. This is who I am. I never felt aligned with the gender I was born with,” she said.Describing the deeply personal journey, she said, “The decision to undergo the gender-affirming surgery came after years of therapy, medical evaluations and deep self-reflection. I went through extensive psychological and medical assessments to ensure I’m ready. This surgery isn’t about proving anything to society. It’s about finally feeling at home in my body.”The 25-year-old credits her appearance on the reality show Rise and Fall last year as a turning point. “I received immense support from people and was in a better place financially, too. My father saw people taking pictures with me, standing by me and respecting me. Both my parents realised this wasn’t a phase. They saw that I was serious about my life and my choices,” Anaya said.That shift proved transformative. “This is who I am,” Anaya reiterated. “I believe that’s what led them to come around and offer me full support. My father is bearing the complete expenses of my surgery. At one point, I was completely on my own in the UK, and there is still a lot of stigma around LGBTQ+ people within families. I hope that by speaking out and by my family supporting me, it will help other trans women. It could make these conversations easier in someone else’s home. In a country where conversations around gender identity are still difficult within families, my parents’ support means everything.”As she prepares for this next chapter, Anaya also addressed misconceptions surrounding her advocacy. She said, “No one goes this far just for publicity. When I spoke about inclusivity in cricket, it wasn’t to gain attention. I don’t want to invade women’s cricket, if that’s what people think. Sport has always been about fairness. My stand is simply that fairness should be evidence-based, not fear-based. Right now, my focus is on healing and living fully. Everything else will follow I want a conversation to begin. It can be considered on a case-by-case basis. If not me, at least someone from the next generation will benefit. That’s the aim.”
