Telangana's Dr Ruth becomes India's first transgender doctor to complete PG degree
Dr Koyyala Ruth John Paul completed her MD in Emergency Medicine at ESIC Medical College, Hyderabad, after years of hardship.
Dr Koyyala Ruth John Paul from Telangana has become India's first transgender doctor to complete a postgraduate medical course. She earned her MD in Emergency Medicine at ESIC Medical College and Hospital in Hyderabad.
Dr Ruth, the youngest of three siblings from Khammam district, lost her father at eight and was raised by her mother. After coming out as a transgender woman during her medical education, she faced family rejection and financial hardship, at one point being turned away by 15 hospitals in Hyderabad after completing her MBBS in 2018.
She now works as a Medical Officer at Osmania General Hospital's Antiretroviral Therapy centre. She called the achievement a matter of pride for herself and her community, recalling days when she struggled even for food.