Transgender activist dies in road mishap near Chitradurga

Chitradurga: A prominent transgender activist, who transformed her life through farming and livestock rearing, died in a road mishap near Chitradurga on Sunday.Arundhati (45), the founder of Madilu Swawalambi Trust which worked in empowering the sexual minorities, sustained grievous injuries when her scooter skidded on scattered maize left for drying on NH 4 service road, late Saturday night.She was rushed to Basaveshwara Medical College Hospital in Chitradurga. She was them shifted to SS Hospital in Davangere, where the doctors referred her to KIMS Hubballi.Arundhati failed to respond to treatment and died at KIMS on Sunday morning.22-year-old killed in Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway accidentA native of Mangaluru, Arundhati left her house and moved to Keralam following family rejection and harassment.After working with the community, she moved to Mandya before settling down in Bharamsagara in Chitradurga, where she started living a dignified life by taking up farming and livestock rearing on three quarters of an acre.She empowered several others of her ilk by training them in livestock and poultry farming through her Madilu Trust.Arundhati, who had identified herself as a transgender activist, was the recipient of several awards, including the Deccan Herald-Prajavani Changemaker for 2026.

Source: Deccan Herald