Indian Revenue Service (IRS) has reportedly approved a request from one of its serving officers to change their name and gender identity, perhaps for the first time in Indian bureaucracy.
M. Anusuya is a 2013 batch Indian Revenue Officer currently working as Joint Commissioner at Office of Chief Commissioner Hyderabad and whose new name will be M. Anukathir Surya after making an official request to that effect, says the Ministry of Finance’s office order addressing this issue.
In regard to the memo available on Central Board Of Indirect Taxes and Customs website, IRS has confirmed receipt of the request with approval coming from competent authority. “The request by Ms M Anusuya has been considered. Henceforth all her records shall bear her name as ‘Mr M Anukathir Surya’,” said an internal communication.
Mr. Surya will still serve as Joint Commissioner though his name and sex identification have been changed in line with notifications made by officialdom.
Aishwarya Rutuparna Pradhan who belongs to Odisha Finance Service is another case of administrative precedent when it comes to changing gender that way legally; she identified herself as belonging to third gender.
