About me
Manvendra Singh Gohil is a pioneering LGBTQ+ rights advocate and former Indian prince who made history as one of the first openly gay royals in the world. His courageous decision to come out publicly in 2006 through a Gujarati newspaper interview transformed him from a private individual into a global symbol of LGBTQ+ visibility and resistance, despite facing severe backlash including being burnt in effigy and disowned by his family.
As founder and chairman of the Lakshya Trust, established in 2000, Gohil has dedicated over two decades to HIV/AIDS education and prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM) in India. The organization, which won the Civil Society Award 2006, provides comprehensive services including counselling, STI treatment clinics, libraries, condom promotion, and training for female field workers who educate women married to MSM about safe sex practices. Lakshya operates India's first gay ashram and continues to create employment opportunities for gay men while supporting other MSM organizations.
Gohil's advocacy extends to international platforms, serving on the Interim Governing Board of the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM) as India Community Representative. Through this role, he works to influence authorities and broaden outlooks for LGBTQ+ acceptance across the Asia-Pacific region, emphasizing unity and solidarity within diversity.
His visibility work has included appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show's "Gay Around the World" segment, inaugurating Euro Pride in Stockholm, and participating in BBC's "Undercover Princes." Since 2010, he has served as editor of "Fun," a gay male-centric magazine published in Rajpipla, providing media representation for India's LGBTQ+ community.
In 2018, Gohil opened his 15-acre palace grounds to house vulnerable LGBT people who have been disowned by their families, creating a safe haven for those who might otherwise be "left with nothing." His advocacy demonstrates how personal courage can translate into systemic change, using his unique position to challenge traditional hierarchies while providing direct support to India's most marginalized LGBTQ+ individuals.
Through his multifaceted approach combining direct service, media visibility, and policy advocacy, Gohil continues to advance LGBTQ+ rights in India while serving as an international symbol of the power of authentic representation and fearless advocacy.
