Apsara Reddy

“I am real because I chose to do it my way, on tough turf, without a Godfather.” Apsara Reddy defines her journey to the top perfectly with these emphatic words. Even as we celebrate women who have scaled unattainable heights, it’s impossible to not be overwhelmed with Reddy’s path to success.

Born as Ajay Reddy into a traditional family from Nellore, Apsara’s struggles started early, as she felt trapped inside a boy’s body. “In my adolescence, people often told me I was gay. But in my heart, I never thought I would live two lives. I wanted to be a girl, whole-heartedly and completely,” she says with absolute certainty.

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You don’t see a speck of doubt as she talks, and her confidence and self belief are almost tangible. Even though growing up was harsh and she constantly faced cruelty and discrimination, Reddy aced her academics and used the negativity to fuel the fire within her. “If there was one thing that kept me on top of my game, it was my career,” she says.

From having worked in Deccan Chronicle and New Indian Express, to being the editor of Chennai’s leading lifestyle magazine Provoke, Reddy has come a long way. She’s had her own television show, is well-known for her social activism and political clout, and is a name to reckon with in Chennai’s social circuit. And if that list isn’t impressive enough, Reddy’s next goal is to effect positive change in Tamil Nadu and promote equal opportunities for trans-genders through her political work.

With such unprecedented success, one can’t help but wonder if those who were unabashed in their criticism of her have now had to bite their tongues. “Many of the people who hurt me growing up want to be friends with me now. I accept their apologies but don’t wish to revisit the past. There’s no space for them in my life now,” she says unapologetically.

With her eyes fixed firmly on the future, Reddy is nowhere close to being done. And as she gets ready to scale more heights, she does so with her success mantra in place. “It’s easy to blend in but it’s important to stand out, be proud and be brave. You’ve got to rise and rock on your own terms.” And rock she does!

Photography : Karthik Srinivasan

Make Up - Akriti Sachdev

Hair – Toni & Guy