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INDIA has been kicking goals on trans rights recently and the latest news from the subcontinent will leave you feeling happy.

[showads ad=MREC] Last year a small town elected the country’s first trans mayor, a trans woman became a prominent TV news anchor and India officially recognised trans as a third gender.

Last night, six singers from India’s Hijra community — the cultural term for its trans women — released an YouTube video covering Pharell William’s worldwide hit Happy.

The 6 Pack Band is India’s first-ever trans girl group made up of six singers and their first single Hum Hain Happy is a celebration of all things trans.

The group has the backing of superstar singer Sonu Nigam who will join the girls on their follow-up single Rab De Bande, to be released on January 26.

In other trans news out of India, a crowdfunding campaign has been launched to open the country’s first trans modelling agency.

LGBTI organisation Mitr Trust, led by trans activist Rudrani Chettri, is running the campaign and hopes to raise £5000 (AUD$10,329) as “an effort by the transgender community to improve our social and personal image, and to raise awareness about the serious issues of discrimination and marginalisation that we face”.

“I am incredibly excited to be teaming up with the well-known and hugely successful fashion stylist, Rishi Raj,” Chettri said on the website.

“Rishi has been styling in the mainstream Indian fashion industry for over 10 years and as member of the LGBT community is very keen to help us realise our dreams. ”

While India’s Hijras still face a lot of discrimination, the country has arguably come a long way in trans rights in the past couple of years.

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