Hailing from a small district of Bengal, Arshi Ghosh, the winner of Miss Trans Queen India 2023, will represent India at the International Queen pageant in Thailand. She talks about her journey with Village Square.
Arshi Ghosh, the winner of Miss Trans Queen India 2023, comes from a small village called Cooch Behar in West Bengal. Arshi’s life was never easy for her but she has always been strong and determined. At 19, she dreamed of being a beauty queen, inspired by the images of Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen on magazine covers. Her name at the time was Ashish Ghosh. She gradually decided to be herself.
That decision wasn’t easy, given that Ghosh began facing harassment at school for her overt femininity. She had no male friends and often ended up sitting alone in class. Even her family was against her.
Now 27 years old, she is a proud trans woman. She is not only a successful model and actor but also a celebrity makeup artist.
“Pride month is not only a celebration. It’s a reflection of the fights we tackled,” said Ghosh. “It’s a reminder that we exist and we deserve acceptance, recognition, love and respect.”
Ghosh’s journey to success hasn’t been easy. When she was 12 years old, she lost her mother. But she gathered herself and continued to work hard with her father in the fields, helping with the farming. She went on to earn a master’s degree in applied geography.
Becoming Miss Trans Queen India 2023 brought her joy that remains unparalleled in her life. The contest, held at Aerocity in New Delhi, was judged by a seven-member panel, including personality coach Rita Gangwani, wellness expert Varun Katyal, among others. The event was curated by Reena Rai, the founder and director of Miss Trans Queen India, with the help of Shaine Soni, a previous winner and chef Manoj Rai.
“After becoming Miss Trans Queen India 2023, I feel so blessed and grateful for your love and support,” Ghosh said upon winning the title. “With this platform, I want to help my trans sisters who want to live their true identity. I would like to start the gender sensitisation journey from the very root of society, the rural areas of India, where I came from.”
Expressing her happiness at the wide acceptance that the event received, Rai said five of the participants would represent India in international pageants, including Miss Trans Infinity, slated to be held in Delhi in 2025, and Miss International Trans which is scheduled for December 2024 in Belgium.
Ghosh is now pulling out all the stops with regard to preparing for Miss International Queen Pageant in Thailand in August 2024. She started by making a video to introduce herself and share her journey and achievements. To stay in the best shape, she focused on physical fitness, working out regularly, and taking care of her mental health through activities like meditation and mindfulness.
For the question and answer round, Ghosh has practised a lot, often asking her mentors and friends for advice to help her speak clearly and confidently about her experiences and thoughts.
When it came to creating her national costume, she worked closely with local artisans. Together, they designed an outfit that represented her cultural heritage and her style.
Additionally, she made the important decision to undergo breast surgery, to present her most authentic self to the world.
While Gangwani has trained her for the question-and-answer segment, Katyal has looked into her diet and physical condition. Soni has taught contestants how to ramp-walk and handled other performance-related activities.
“As a representative of India at the international event, my hopes are to celebrate and showcase the rich diversity and cultural heritage of the country,” Ghosh said. “My goals include promoting inclusivity and acceptance for the trans community, inspiring others to embrace their true selves, and advocating for equal opportunities and rights for all.”
Ghosh is also proud of the moment when she got a chance to become perhaps India’s first trans news anchor at News Nation television channel. Now she also works with the Deepa Ardhnareshwara Empowerment Foundation, where she advocates for the rights of transgender and LGBTQIA+ communities, aiming to continue her work about gender sensitisation and educating society about the importance of inclusion and equality.
The lead image on top shows Arshi Ghosh, Miss Trans Queen India, who will represent India at the Miss International Queen 2024. (Photo by Jalaj Acharya)
Suhail Bhat is a Village Square Fellow 2023-24. He works as a multimedia journalist in Kashmir.
