Kolkata: India has for the first time appointed a transgender as the principal of a college, a top education official said Wednesday.

Manabi Banerjee, a transgender woman, will head the Krishnagar Women’s College in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, said Dipak K Kar, chairman of an education panel that selects college principals in the state.

Banerjee is expected to start her new job on 9 June, Kar said.

“She has been teaching in a college for more than 20 years, and had the necessary administrative experience. She was chosen through the usual selection process,” said Kar.

India’s transgender activists hailed the appointment as a proud day for a community that usually faces discrimination.

“This is a proud moment for us. It’s great that people have begun accepting transgenders. Everybody should feel proud about this decision,” said Rudrani Chettri, director of Mitr Trust, a group working for transgender rights.

Last year, India’s Supreme Court declared the transgender community as a legal third gender, granting them minority rights and privileges to education, employment and health benefits. Since then, some colleges have offered a choice in indicating their gender in application forms.

Krishnagar Women’s College offers undergraduate courses in the sciences and humanities. It is located in Krishnanagar, a town about 105 kilometers (65 miles) north of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal.