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2025-10-18T12:17:12Z

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{{Short description|Singer and transgender activist from Kashmir}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}

'''Reshma''' (1950 - November 2022), popularly known as '''Reshma of Kashmir''', was a [[transgender]] singer and activist from [[Srinagar]], [[Kashmir]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last1=Mateen |first1=Zoya |last2=Mohammad |first2=Moazum |date=17 November 2022 |title=Reshma: The Kashmir trans icon who fought pain to bring joy to people |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63539236 |access-date=15 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Manhotra |first=Dinesh |date=6 November 2022 |title=Who was singer Abdul Rashid; "Reshma of Kashmir" singer passes away [details] |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/who-was-singer-abdul-rashid-reshma-kashmiri-singer-passes-away-details-853849 |access-date=15 June 2023 |website=www.ibtimes.co.in |language=en}}</ref> She attained celebrity status and videos of her singing have garnered thousands of views on social media.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A glimpse into the lives of transgender people in Kashmir |url=https://gal-dem.com/lives-of-transgender-people-in-kashmir/ |access-date=15 June 2023 |website=gal-dem.com |archive-date=15 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615200718/https://gal-dem.com/lives-of-transgender-people-in-kashmir/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Early life ==
Reshma was born in Srinagar. She had two sisters and six brothers.<ref name=":0" /> At age 11 she realised her talent and love for singing and dancing.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |date=6 November 2022 |title=Reshma: The story of resilience |url=https://www.thekashmirmonitor.net/reshma-the-story-of-resilience/ |access-date=16 June 2023 |website=The Kashmir Monitor |language=en-US}}</ref> As a child, she was bullied for her feminine clothing choices and style of speaking. She dropped out of school after fifth standard as a result, and began working as a tailor under the supervision of her uncle.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

== Career ==
At the age of 22, Reshma was asked to sing by a tailoring client after she came by their home in [[Lal Bazar]] to drop off some clothes.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> The head of the client's family gave her a chit with the word "reshma" on it, which Reshma subsequently adopted as her name.<ref name=":0" /> Her mother reacted negatively when Reshma told her of the interaction, so she decided not to pursue singing.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

She changed her mind in 2001, after she began caring for her brother's four children after he died in an accident. Working as a wedding singer became a viable option for income in order to support her family.<ref name=":0" />

== Activism ==
Reshma was at the forefront of transgender community's struggle for dignity in Kashmir.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Handa |first=Aakriti |date=29 November 2022 |title=Remembering Reshma: The Voice of Transgender People in Kashmir |url=https://www.thequint.com/gender/kashmir-reshma-abdul-rashid-transgender-singer-dead-viral-song |access-date=15 June 2023 |website=TheQuint |language=en}}</ref> In 2011, Reshma, along with other transgender activists, approached the state's social welfare department to initiate an 'Intervention Plan', aimed at rehabilitating transgender persons in the Valley.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zargar |first=Haris |date=28 February 2020 |title=Kashmir's invisible LGBTQIA+ community |url=https://www.newframe.com/kashmirs-invisible-lgbtqia-community/ |access-date=15 June 2023 |website=New Frame}}</ref>

== In media ==
Reshma was included in a 2022 documentary on transgender Kashmiri people, entitled ''Trans Kashmir''.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=9 June 2022 |title='Reshma, Babloo, Shabnum': Film on Kashmir's trans-genders premiers at International Queer Festival - The Kashmir Monitor |url=https://www.thekashmirmonitor.net/reshma-babloo-shabnum-film-on-kashmirs-trans-genders-premiers-at-international-queer-festival/ |access-date=16 June 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2023, she was profiled by writer-activist [[Aditya Tiwari]] in the anthology ''Over the Rainbow: India’s Queer Heroes'', published by [[Juggernaut Books|Juggernaut]], alongside figures such as [[Madhu Kinnar]], [[Rituparno Ghosh]], [[Saleem Kidwai]], and [[Laxmi Narayan Tripathi]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mukherjee |first=Rush |date=2023-10-25 |title=Pride in diverse colours: Remembering India’s LGBTQ icons |url=https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/art-and-culture/aditya-tiwari-new-book-honour-queer-icons-lgbtq-community-111698203206188.html |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=mint |language=en}}</ref>

== Death ==
Reshma died from [[cancer]] in November 2022 at the age of 70, leaving behind a lasting legacy through her songs and tireless work for the transgender community in India-administered Kashmir.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 February 2023 |title=WATCH: Kashmir remembers a trans icon |url=https://www.himalmag.com/kashmir-remembers-reshma-transgender-singer-icon/ |access-date=15 June 2023 |website=Himal Southasian |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reshma of Kashmir}}
[[Category:1950s births]]
[[Category:2022 deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:People from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Transgender rights activists]]
[[Category:Transgender women musicians]]
[[Category:Indian transgender women]]
[[Category:Indian transgender musicians]]
[[Category:Indian LGBTQ singers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women singers]]
[[Category:LGBTQ women singers]]
[[Category:Transgender women singers]]

Reshma of Kashmir - Revision history

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