In a historic decision, the Ministry of Finance has allowed the request of a senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer to change her name and gender in all official records. This is the first time this has happened in the Indian civil services.
The request was made by 35-year-old M Anusuya, posted as Joint Commissioner in the office of the Chief Commissioner (Authorised Representative) of the Customs Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), in Hyderabad. She asked for her name to be changed to M Anukathir Surya and her gender from female to male.
The order, a copy of which is with NDTV, said, “The request of Ms M Anusuya has been considered. Henceforth, the officer will be recognised as ‘Mr M Anukathir Surya’ in all official records.”
According to his LinkedIn in profile, Mr Surya started his career as an assistant commissioner in Chennai In December 2013 and was promoted to the Deputy Commissioner rank in 2018. He joined his current posting in Hyderabad last year.
He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication from the Madras Institute of Technology in Chennai and finished a PG Diploma in Cyber Law and Cyber Forensics from the National Law Institute University in Bhopal in 2023.
