A West Bengal women’s college is set to make history by appointing a transgender person to become its next principal, arguably making it a first for India.According to a report in The Times of India, Manabi Bandopadhyay, currently an associate professor at the Vivekananda Satobarshiki Mahavidyalaya was appointed by the College Service Commission to take charge of Krishnagar Women’s College in Nadia, West Bengal on June 9.“Of course I am excited, but the media attention has left me in a tizzy. I have been flooded with calls,” Manabi is quoted by The Indian Express as saying. Manabi adds that the achievement was a big deal for the transgender community “but my priority is my students.”Technical education minister Ujjal Biswas, who is chairman of the college governing body, was quoted as saying that "We were in need of a principal with a strong personality to run the college smoothly".State education minister Partha Chatterjee said that he doesn’t interfere with the body’s decision and said that he was happy with it. “They are aware of our open mind,” he said.Rattan Lal Hangloo, the vice-chancellor of the Kalyani University, to which the Krishnagar Women’s College is affiliated said he was happy with the decision saying it would empower members of the transgender community.“Manabi is a fine human being, a good academician and an able administrator,” Hangloo said.Also Read: Changing face of the world-famous Koovagam transgender festival