Kohima: Apra Kuchhal brought her book, The Untold Story of India’s First Transgender Bodybuilding Champion, to Zone Niathu by the Park on September 28. The event, hosted by the Prabha Khaitan Foundation, focused on the life of Aryan Pasha. Viketuno Rio, an Ehsaas Woman of Dimapur, described the work as a deeply human story of courage and resilience. Oil India Limited supported the session, with Zone Niathu by the Park serving as the hospitality partner.
Kuchhal did not plan to write a book when she first met Pasha. She spent time documenting his experiences after their initial connection turned into regular conversations. She insists she acted as a reporter rather than an editor. She refused to impose her own interpretation on his life. These stories carry weight. “These are the stories that choose you, you do not choose a story to write,” she said during the discussion.
The biography documents Pasha’s life through interviews with his family, friends, and coaches. Kuchhal credits her upbringing in Jaipur and her early exposure to the Kinnar community in Haryana for her perspective on gender identity. She wants readers to move past labels and prioritize sensitivity. Abokali Jimomi, an Ehsaas Woman of Dimapur, opened the event. The audience later debated how to address gender identity and acceptance within the Christian social framework of Nagaland.
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