India, March 27 -- Just days after undergoing gender-affirming surgery in Thailand, cricketer-turned-content creator Anaya Bangar finds herself navigating a mix of personal triumph and public concern. While the 25-year-old is embracing a long-awaited milestone, developments back home have left her unsettled.

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, cleared by Rajya Sabha on March 25, has triggered debate over curbing the right to self-identify one's gender and introducing a more medicalised process. "I feel saddened by the removal of self-identification. For many of us, this isn't just a policy change... It touches our dignity and our right to exist as who we truly are," says Anaya. She adds, "When that is que...