Born in Vikhroli’s informal settlements, working at Godrej was a dream that Jamini shared with her family. “We would say, one day, one of us will work at Godrej.” 

As a trans woman, one of Jamini’s biggest supporters – and one of her most formative influences – was her mother. Despite her own struggles with acceptance, Jamini’s mother gave her unwavering support. “She never neglected me. She never said that she will stop my education.” With her mother by her side, Jamini got the strength to navigate challenges; both within her family and society at large. 

The first challenge, which later became a turning point in her life, was that of learning English. She credits her early exposure to the language through her mother’s interactions with her non-Indian employers. “She worked as a house help for almost twenty years, and I would tag along with her,” she explains.   

Her ability to communicate effectively became a notable strength. And then: “When I came to interview at Godrej, I felt that they just looked at my skills. And not at me as transgender, transwoman, or non-binary. Even my team – no one has looked at me differently. Their focus is on what I can bring to the table, my skills, and how I can make this organization a better place.”  

This shift in perspective has proved to be an empowering experience for Jamini. 

She recognizes, though, that the struggle for acceptance is far from over. Travelling back home after work one day, she experienced what everyday exclusion and isolation for trans women can look like. “The Metro was full, and there was an empty seat next to me. From Andheri to Dahisar, no one sat on that seat. It made me question – is there something wrong with me? Why would people not want to sit next to me? Just because I am trans?” 

“That day was a really difficult day for me. It reminded me that a lot of my trans sisters go through something like this every day.” That’s a memory that Jamini now carries with her, and spurs her to support others at work, where, as a Diversity, Inclusion and Campus Associate at Godrej Properties, she contributes to hiring and onboarding people from the LBTQIA+ community.