Renowned transgender activist Akkai Padmashali was appointed as a member of a special committee constituted by the Supreme Court of India to protect and integrate the rights of transgender persons and formulate an Equal Opportunity Policy. This makes her the first transgender person from Karnataka on an apex court-appointed panel and the first such committee to include representation from the transgender community itself. The committee is chaired by retired Delhi High Court Justice Asha Menon and includes Grace Banu, Gaurav Mandal (CLPR Bengaluru), and Dr Sanjay Sharma (Association for Transgender Health in India). Akkai Padmashali is the founder of the organisation Ondede and the first transgender person in Karnataka to register her marriage.