Anaya Bangar, the daughter of the former coach of the Indian ricket team, is a trans woman who is presently making headlines as a contestant of the reality show 'Rise And Fall' hosted by Ashneer Grover. The 26-year-old trans woman, who came out last November, said that shortly after her transition she received an unsolicited nude photo from a well-known cricketer. Her disclosure has reignited conversations about the treatment and perception of trans athletes in Indian cricket. The reflection looking back at her from the shiny, full-length gym mirror - her face - often failed to smile back. In January 2021, that was one of the most distressing things for Anaya Bangar. At the time, she was a promising cricketer - a male cricketer, who was called Aryan, since she was assigned male at birth - and she was dutifully following the classic pathway of an athlete. She was built and sculpted in the gym, working with the best coaches in Mumbai, and had the grace of a left-handed batter. Her shots flowed easily as she bowled sharp spin with poetic grace. Yet something felt fundamentally wrong. In January 2022, the fog of confusion and discomfort began to lift and in that moment, she realized that she had to transition to being a woman. Her cricketing ambitions could languish for the time being. "I used to really desperately hang onto outside validation from people in my orbit who I cared about, I wanted to be the one everyone wanted to like," says Anaya, now 25, who moved back home to Mumbai — a city by the ocean — a place where cricket had 'sparked her despair and enabled her healing'. Since moving back she initially took a corporate job but is transitioning to a career in entertainment. But still, cricket is close to her heart. Here're 10 interesting facts about life and journey of Anaya:
1. Anaya Bangar's journey represents a transition that is both personal and public. Previously, Aryan Bangar is the daughter of former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar, has taken an important step in her life and to live as a transgender female. Anaya's journey is a testament to the bravery that it takes to be honest and live one's truth, regardless of societal norms and expectations. By providing her own personal narrative, she confirms and validates her journey, and she will surely be a source of visibility and motivation for others within the transgender community. Her journey represents resilience and acceptance, and the right to live with dignity.
2. Anaya Bangar’s story is intimately intertwined with her relationship with cricket, the one sport that has made her who she is. Being the daughter of the former Indian cricket player and coach, Sanjay Bangar, Anaya not only respected this game deeply, but actually wanted to become a player in her dad’s footsteps. For Anaya, cricket was more than a hobby, it was an incredible obsession that took time to develop into a dream. Anaya wanted to be a professional player that she could be proud of, and devoted herself with ferocious intent in hopes of making that dream come true.
3. Anaya Bangar has been public about her experience undergoing Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and what has physically and emotionally changed as a result. Anaya willingly stated that although she has experienced a visible decline in physical strength, she has experienced a deep sense of serenity and happiness. For Anaya, the process of going through HRT is not simply the external changes to her body but aligning her body with who she believes she is. Anaya also noted that the process has been difficult but has also increased her confidence, emotional stability, and overall happiness, reminding her of the value of being true and accepting yourself in her transition.
4. Anaya Bangar's transition involved the challenging step of having to let go of her lifelong dream to be a professional cricketer. Growing up as the daughter of former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar, cricket had always been a significant part of her life and desires. Nonetheless, as Anaya transitioned into her authentic self as a transgender woman, she recognized that being her true self was more important than pursuing a path she had previously imagined. Although Anaya has concluded her professional cricket career, she remains happy to be associated with the sport and proud of her identity while still enjoying cricket.
5. “There has been support and there have been some harassment as well,” Anaya said during an interview with Lallantop, reflecting on her journey. When asked how fellow cricketers responded after her gender-affirming surgery, Anaya said: “There have been a few cricketers who randomly sent me nude pictures of them.” “The person used to give gaalis in front of everybody. The same person then used to come and sit beside me and ask for my photos. There was another instance, when I was in India, I told a puraane (veteran) cricketer about my situation.He told me let’s go in the car, I want to sleep with you.” “I had to maintain secrecy about myself because dad is a well known figure. Cricket world is filled with insecurity and toxic masculinity,” she added.
6. Anaya Bangar has courageously revealed the challenges on the dark side of her journey when she had to deal with harassment from a retired male cricketer, who sent her inappropriate messages and made unwanted referrals that created emotional trauma for her. By going public with her traumatic experience, Anaya not only exposed the hardships transgender women often face but also reiterated the need for respect, responsibility, and safe spaces in sport. Anaya’s courage of being explicit about this type of behaviour demonstrates her commitment to call out inappropriate behaviour and continue the fight for dignity, equal rights, and acceptance in sport.
7. “What hurts more is that there are no proper regulations for trans women in cricket. It feels like the system is pushing me out, not due to a lack of drive or talent, but because the rules haven’t adapted to the reality of who I am. My testosterone levels are down to 0.5 nmol, the lowest for an average cisgender woman. Despite this, I still have no place to represent my country or play at a professional level as my authentic self,” she wrote.
8. “To make matters worse, the system requires that I should have transitioned before male puberty to compete in women’s sports. But there’s a contradiction: society and the law make it illegal to transition as a minor. So, what am I supposed to do? The system has put me in an impossible position, with standards I couldn’t have met even if I’d wanted to. It’s heartbreaking that the body I’ve worked so hard to align with my true self is now seen as an obstacle to my cricketing journey in the women’s category. We need policies that don’t force us to choose between our identity and our passions. Trans women deserve the right to compete, play, and thrive,” Anaya Said.
9. Anaya Bangar’s comments carry specific weight in light of the recent rule changes made by the International Cricket Council (ICC) about transgender women in the game. Subsequently, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) accepted the ICC position and expanded these restrictions to elite-level competitions. Consequently, it has been defined by the ECB that transgender women will no longer be eligible to compete in international cricket or in domestic women's competitions at Tiers 1 and 2. This raises urgent questions around inclusion and fairness for transgender women in professional cricket, and what opportunities might be available to them in the future.
10. Anaya Bangar voiced the challenges a transwoman faces while seeking a career in the "cricketing world". In an interview with Lallantop, Anaya said she “played with some well-known cricketers now like Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal.” "I had to maintain secrecy about myself because dad is a well-known figure. Cricket world is filled with insecurity and toxic masculinity," she could be heard saying in a video clip she shared on Instagram. She shared her ordeal, saying, "There have been a few cricketers who randomly sent me nude pictures of themselves." She alleged that a person used to abuse her in front of everybody. "The same person then used to come and sit beside me and ask for my photos," she said.
