"I used to be at war with myself. I am trying hard to prove my identity as a man to people around me so that I never have to go back to those times where I had to fight for my basic rights."

Aryan Pasha has earned his muscles, with twice as much effort as most other athletes in his field. Born as a female, Aryan always identified as a male and tried to live his life as such. His parents eventually complied and let him live according to his wishes, but school and society were a different matter altogether.

"When I was in 11th standard, I started facing serious bullying. It affected my mental health and my relationship with my peers, which eventually made me quit school. But quitting was not the escape as it seemed to be my fate to be mocked. The only way to get out of this circle was to become strong and thus I started bodybuilding. Today, I am famous among all my friends, relatives, and those bullies for achieving what they could not."

Aryan used to consider his inability to change people's opinions about him as a weakness. He now brushes them off, knowing that his family's support and his willpower are two assets that many people do not possess.

"I have earned these muscles with years of hard work and faith. To stop now means to waste all the hard work and energy my parents and I have invested in my bodybuilding journey. Also, I want to share my story with the community so that people in my situation can come out of their cocoons and start building a life they dream of. I am fighting for the rights of LGBTQ community as I believe we have all equal rights to live free and happy."

Starting off by trying to compete in bodybuilding events reserved for transgender men, Aryan's aim in life now is to compete in tournaments with other men and prove that his hustle is worth the same as any man's.

"They call me Ziddi, because I won't rest till I achieve my goals."