Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy created history on Monday by taking oath as a Rajya Sabha MP, becoming India’s first openly queer Member of Parliament. Nominated by the Trinamool Congress (TMC), her entry into the Upper House marks a landmark moment for LGBTQ representation in Indian politics. Guruswamy, a leading constitutional lawyer, was one of the key legal minds behind the 2018 Supreme Court judgment that struck down Section 377, effectively decriminalising same-sex relations. She openly identifies as queer and has long been a prominent voice for equality.A protégé of former Attorney General Ashok Desai, Guruswamy began her legal journey in 1997 before pursuing advanced studies at Oxford and Harvard. Recognised globally, she was named among Foreign Policy magazine’s 100 most influential Global Thinkers in 2019. Apart from her rights-based work, she has also represented the TMC in legal matters, including its challenge to ED raids at I-PAC’s offices.
LGBTQ Rights Icon Menaka Guruswamy Sworn In as Rajya Sabha MP
