Artist, news presenter, model and actress Tashnuva Anan, who is now residing in ¬the US, recently performed in her maiden English stage play "Shakuntala" in New York. The play is adapted from the classic tale of the same name written by classical Sanskrit author Kalidasa, often considered ancient India's greatest poet and playwright. It was brought to the stage by NY-based theatre group Dhaka Drama, and the play was staged at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning in Queens, New York. "Shakuntala is about the present situation of South Asian immigrant women who are facing a lot of abandonment issues. When I was working with a non-profit organization, I saw the sorrow and suffering of immigrant women in front of my eyes, which motivated me to be a part of this play," Tashnuva told UNB. According to the organisers, the 70-minute play explores the themes of desertion and abandonment of South Asian women by their husbands in a foreign land and their home country, juxtaposed with the motif of abandonment as depicted in the classic mythological story Shakuntala written by Kalidasa. READ: Tashnuva Anan Shishir gets featured in Time's 100 best photos of 2021 Tashnuva said: "As I have to stay a couple of years for my treatment in the US, I decided to work as a theatre artist. My friend Premaa introduced me to Sarwar bhai who is the co-director of this play. I felt the character Shakuntala is the reversed version of the real-life Tashnuva." Written and directed by Golam Sarwar Harun and Gargi Mukherjee, the stage adaptation of the play included several other Bengali performers, namely Gargi, Ajaz Alam, Pratima Sumi, Basunia Suman, Md Kajal, Laila Farzana, Jaf Hossain, Abiba Imam Dyuti, and Dipro. Tashnuva, the first transgender woman news presenter in Bangladesh, joined Boishakhi TV on the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8 last year. An active member of the renowned theatre troupe BotTala, Tashnuva has been working for theatre since 2007.

Tashnuva Anan Shishir, who made history in becoming Bangladesh’s first-ever transgender woman news presenter on a television channel, has been featured in the prestigious Time Magazine's top 100 best photos of 2021. "I am super excited for this global recognition for myself and my community, especially as someone who came from a very root level,” said Tasnuva sharing her joy with UNB.She started broadcasting the regular news bulletin at the private satellite television channel Boishakhi Television on March 8, marking theInternational Women’s Day. The US-based Time magazine featured a photo of her clicked by AFP Dhaka photographer Munir Uz Zaman on March 8 in the Boishakhi TV newsroom, accompanied by her co-workers wearing the same themed sarees marking the day. Also read: Tashnuva Anan makes history as first transgender woman to present the news in Bangladesh“Tashnuva Anan Shishir made history as Bangladesh's first transgender television news anchor by reading a three-minute news segment in Dhaka on March 8, International Women’s Day. Munir Uz Zaman—AFP/Getty Images,” Time captioned the image on its website.The image of Tasnuva in the Boishakhi TV newsroom with her colleagues, placed alongside moments such as George Flloyd's family cheering during the verdict, and the Taliban's walking in and standing together during evening prayers near Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, is now being virtually displayed in an unranked list covering the most important and iconic 100 moments of the eventful 2021.In her reaction she told UNB "I am super excited for this global recognition for myself and my community, especially as someone who came from a very root level.” “Individuals from my community need to get the recognition they truly work hard for, and exposures like this will help me to work for the development of our people in the society, to ensure that they get what they deserve," Tasnuva said.She said she wanted to represent Bangladesh “beyond an unimaginable and glorious level; and with this kind global spotlight on the individuals like me, I believe our society will thrive towards community sustainability and community development in the near future, transcending the stereotypical barriers.".Tasnuva is currently pursuing higher studies in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at the international platform Brac James P Grant School of Public Health (JPGSPH), Brac University, with her two earned scholarships in two categories. She is pursuing the degree along with Ho Chi Minh Islam, another iconic transgender woman in the country. Also read: Jhenaidah’s Ritu becomes first transgender UP chairman in BangladeshToday’s Tashnuva Anan Shishir challenged the identity of Kamal Hossain Shishir, her old self - and eventually came out as a trans-woman during her twenties, alongside starting her solo journey with social works, dance and theatre. She has been an active member of the renowned theatre troupe BotTala, and recently she has appeared on Anonno Mamun’s film ‘Koshai’ as a detective officer, and to be appeared on Syed Shahriar’s cinema ‘Goal’ where she will be seen as a football coach.In her illustrious career, she worked as the Case Management Officer in the Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program (OKUP) from June 2020, worked as the project officer in Bandhu Social Welfare Society and also worked in other voluntary projects before for organizations including Sangat - A Feminist Network, Roopban, Oboyob and Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC). She also served as the Executive Officer for the National Human Rights Commission, Bangladesh; Research Assistant for Re Think Bangladesh and ICDDR, B (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh), as well as the Cultural Facilitator for SEPP (Social Economic Enhancement Program).The 2021 listing of the top 100 images selected by the Time magazine can be found in this link - https://time.com/6123078/top-100-photos-2021/?fbclid=IwAR0_qtrgHhsq6Xu5wICBBgQNyTTdesb8ha05789x7sl36IlXC3UC48U0rKc.