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Riya, a transwoman from Erode, was crowned Miss Koovagam at a beauty pageant held in Villupuram on Monday night in connection with the annual Koothandavar festival.
Organised by the South India Transgenders Federation along with the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Social Welfare, the beauty contest saw quite a number of entries.
The contest tested the general knowledge and social awareness of the participants. The contestants’ contribution to the future of the community was also one of the requirements of the event.
Riya was declared the title winner and Megha, from Coimbatore, the first runner-up. Evangeline John of Chennai was the second runner-up. The transpersons were crowned by P. Mohanambal, president of the South India Transgenders Federation.
The annual festival at the the Koothandavar temple attracts hundreds of transpersons from various parts of the country every year, in an occasion that celebrates transgender persons.
Several other events like awareness campaigns and mobile HIV testing were also held as part of the festivities.
The festivities will conclude with a car procession on Wednesday, April 24.
