Dr. Koyyala Ruth John Paul of Hyderabad has become the first transgender person in India to complete a postgraduate medical course, The Hindu reported on 10 October 2026, after she cleared all subjects in the recently announced MD/MS exam results.
Quick Facts
| Name | Dr. Koyyala Ruth John Paul |
| From | Khammam district, Telangana |
| Course | Postgraduate degree in Emergency Medicine |
| Institution | ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Sanathnagar, Hyderabad (2023-26 session) |
| Result date | Saturday, 10 October 2026 |
A Hard Road
“I am feeling very happy. It is a matter of pride for me and my community,” she said. She is the youngest of three siblings and grew up with limited means. She lost her father when she was eight and was raised by her mother. She cleared NEET and began undergraduate medical education. She came out as a transgender woman during those years, and her family rejected her, leaving her separated from them for nearly six years.
“There were times when I did not even have food. I struggled to survive and looked for jobs,” she said.
Work and Study
In 2021 she found part-time work at Mitr Clinic (now Sabrang Clinic), which The Hindu described as India’s first transgender clinic, and worked there for about two years while preparing for postgraduate entrance exams.
The Court Battle
After clearing the entrance exam, she found that postgraduate counselling had no clear protocol for transgender candidates. With help from transgender rights activist Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli, she went to the Telangana High Court. The proceedings lasted nearly two years, and an interim order allowed her to proceed with admission. In 2023 she secured a seat in Emergency Medicine at ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Sanathnagar.
Why It Matters
She called her result “a matter of pride for me and my community”. Her admission came through a court order, after counselling had no clear protocol for transgender candidates.
Featured image: ESIC Medical College and Hospital in Hyderabad, March 2024 (file photo). Photo by Rajasekhar1961, licensed under CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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