Sr. Prema Chowallur

Sister Prema Chowallur, a Sister of the Cross of Chavanod (SCC), serving in Assam, India. Her work for the past eleven years has been creating Rainbow Home of Seven Sisters, a house for dispossessed gender nonconforming, intersex, and transgender people, including vulnerable girls, and survivors of human trafficking.

Where she lives, the gender nonconforming, intersex, and transgender populations are widely excluded and ostracized from family and society. The minority community goes through various challenges while they strive to acquire their entitlements for acceptance and inclusion in the society.

There is a group of gender minorities called Hijra in India. This is a socially and culturally constructed group of gender minorities who earned their living by blessing marriages, new ventures, house-warming, and birth and death ceremonies. Some of them who are in this cultural group earn their living through collections done in buses, trains and other market places. The guru is seen as their caretaker.

In response to how her perception of transgender people, whom she thought of as the Hijra community, has changed through her work, Sr. Chowallur recalled, “Initially, I thought that all trans people are Hijra. Later I realized that the Hijra community is a socially, culturally and religiously constructed community and they have a place in the religious ceremonies. Whereas there are other minorities who are self-identified who come under the umbrella of both sexual and gender minorities and live a dignified life in the society.”

“In the 2014 [National Legal Services Authority ] judgment, the Supreme Court had laid down the law that the right to self-identification of gender fell under the ambit of personal liberty, a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution (Lakshman).”

As of 2026, gender nonconforming, intersex, and transgender populations in India face a huge setback. On March 13th Indian politicians “introduced a Bill to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, which takes away transgender people’s “right to self-perceived gender identity” and alters the definition of a “transgender person.”

Sr. Chowallur has always believed that it is her duty in life to reach out to the marginalized. Although, it wasn’t until 2015 when she met an intersex person on a bus going to an annual festival when she was inspired to make a home for them. Sr. Chowallur says this interaction had humanized the LGBTQIA to her, causing her to have a “course of reflection.” Upon meeting this individual and learning about the stigma associated with their identity, she was moved to bring her growing concerns to the Catholic Church.

Sr. Chowallur communicated that she, “had been working with the community from the year 2016. In my interaction with the community they had requested me to build a shelter home. At that time my congregation had not had the priority for this ministry.”

In that same year, Sr. Chowallur shared her goal with her sisters who urged her to meet with the Archbishop to present her idea. She received complete support not only from him, but from her provincial. Upon approval, Sr. Chowallur decided to follow her social responsibility by meeting with the Gurus who care for the Hijra community. However, this was not enough for her, she realized that there are gender nonconforming and transgender people living and working in different social sectors with dignity. She wanted to work beyond the spectrum of the Hijra community; serving displaced gender nonconforming, and transgender individuals, as well as survivors of human trafficking.

In response to how the COVID-19 Pandemic affected her cause, Sr. Chowallur responded, “COVID-19 Pandemic was the reason to inaugurate the shelter home. Though I was working with the intersex group called ‘Hijra,’ the trans who worked independently in homes and other places had no place to go… one [transgender individual ] came to me requesting to start a home for them.” She recalled that “if it runs only for a single group of marginalized people, it will carry a stigma. Therefore, [we ]... welcome all the vulnerable and marginalized over here in Rainbow Home of Seven Sisters (RHoSS).” Sr. Chowallur added, “In fact Pandemic was a blessing in disguise for me as it helped me to start the shelter home with the approval of all the church authorities needed.”

In 2021, Sr. Chowallur started a trust for what she now calls Rainbow Home of Seven Sisters. The home operates by the policies that all those who have no shelter, are welcome to this house. Once they enter this home, they receive free counselling service, learn hospitality and other skills such as tailoring and embroidery. They also learn housekeeping and house management skills which make the inmates self-sufficient while they return to their villages. “Members of RHoSS enjoy food and shelter, as well as other amenities. There is no gender or sexual discrimination. They can wear the dress in which they feel comfortable.” Members of the community are allowed to stay at RHoSS for six to twelve months at a time. Sr. Chowallur added that, “Once they are skilled and ready to be out in the society, I help them to get employment and they stand on their own feet.”

The Sister stated that the goal of RHoSS is for members “to be self-sufficient, and independent through skill training, and get ‘mainstreamed’ to society.” As for how RHoSS reintegrates gender nonconforming, intersex, and transgender people into society she stated, “Rainbow Home advocates for their employment opportunities and inclusiveness. Society is still very negative about it. RHoSS still advocates and gives moral support to the community people to work at times without revealing their identity…moral support is assured. RHoSS will be there to fight the battle, in case of any workplace harassment.”

Every month Sr. Chowallur holds Rainbow Care, a meeting for allies and the community members to gather and draw strength from one another. After a brief introduction there is a time of silence which is then broken by a singing bowl, followed up by a time for attendees to share their thoughts. Additionally, she does work with the women who live in Assam, teaching them how to accept and care for children of LGBTQIA identities and prevent and safeguard their children from human trafficking.

In 2026, Rainbow Home of Seven Sisters operates out of a rented house which is not big enough for her cause. Sr. Chowallur says that the biggest need for the community is a purchase of a house with a piece of land where the members can enjoy the fresh air. She says buying in a city is best because that’s where the population she serves resides. As for how many of the members maintain relationships after they leave RHoSS Sr. Chowallur stated, “All of them. Because this is their home.”

As for her personal practice, Sr. Chowallur has been a member of the SCC since 1977, became a Sister in 1981. Sr. Chowallur says, “She is not only a social worker but also an environmentalist”. She is a teacher by profession and having taught in schools till the year 2000, she began to work in the social and environmental sector.

Sr. Chowallur says, “Her strength is drawn from the life of Jesus. She spends time in silence and prayer other than the time spent during the Holy Eucharist”. In her words, she “cannot humble God’s miracle in people” and “each person is the word of God.” The routine she began in 1977 became vital to her identity and perspective. Her “entire work has become prayer as she experiences God’s miracles being unfolded through people with whom she interacts.”

(This biographical statement written by Harrison Valentin from the sources below and an interview with Sr. Prema Chowallur and was edited by Chowallur.)

Biography Date: March 2026

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