LGBT celebrities in India always have positive things to say. Equal rights for everyone to live in this lovely world are essential. Bisexuality, lesbianism, or transgender identity do not put an end to this. Gender discrimination has no place in our culture.
LGBT celebrities in India
- Manish Arora
- Apurva Asrani
- Rohit Bal
- Pablo Ganguli
- Harish Iyer
- Akkai Padmashali
- Hiten Noonwal
- Alex Mathew
- Rohit Khosla
Manish Arora (5 Sep 1973)
The world celebrated fashion designer, Manish Arora, who lived in Delhi. He is a member of LGBTQ celebrities and worked as a creative directer of women’s wear collection at Paco Robanne, a French fashion house. “I never had a doubt about my sexuality, even as a teenager. But did I ever feel a need to talk about it? No. May be because I thought, ‘Why do I need to discuss it?’ Straight people do not go around telling the world about who they are, so why should I be ‘discussing’ it? I always believed that you should not justify who you are to anyone”. Manish also said that not he or someone should not justify who you are to anyone.
I never thought twice about my sexuality, it is natural.
Manish Arora
Apurva Asrani (21 March 1978)
A filmmaker from Goa, India. He has also received a national award, filmfare award and is a member of LGBTQ. “Same-sex couples in India have no references and no role models to seek inspiration from.” Apurva and Siddharth has announced their separation of 14 years old relationship.
Rohit Bal (8 May 1961)
Born in a family of Kashmiri Pandit of Srinagar, Bal was the one who designed costumes for Kaun Banega Crorepati. In 2006, Rohit won the award “Designer of the year” from Indian Fashion Awards.
Pablo Ganguli (23 Nov 1983)
Multi talented Pablo has worked as entrepreneur, artist, directer, producer as well as directed many international festivals. Moreover, Ganguli is also a founder of Liberatum (A cultural content company, promotes films, cultural activities, arts, films, and media) and organize the events worldwide. Pablo is Bengali born, lived in Kolkata and a member of LGBTQ celebrities.
Harish Iyer (16 April 1979)
Indian equal rights activist Harish Iyer who has been promoting rights of gay, bisexual, lesbian and transgender community. Moreover, he is one of those who is a survivor of child sexual abuse. Harish is also a writer who flashed the lights through his writings and letters on difficult life of LGBTQ community.
Akkai Padmashali
Another LGBTQ celebrities and transgender from India, Akkai Padmashali, is a singer, motivational speaker and transgender activist. She has received Rajyotsava awards from the Government of Karnataka.
“I did not choose to become an anti-social element or unwanted person to the society. My fight was for ‘Acceptance and Social Inclusion’, for the transformation and the discrimination against biological sex which was with me since birth.”
She tried to kill herself at the age of 12, quit her education at tenth grade and was forced to go to sex work.
Hiten Noonwal
Indian, performance artist who sometimes becomes a cosplayer, worked as fashion designer. He danced in more than 700 shows. However, all that he was doing, his family was not to know.
“I am a Hiten Noonwal, and I am a free bird. As I say, I am a free bird, I say it so easily, but the Journey was so difficult. People usually look at me as two different identities…. The students never used to sit with me, and used to called me with a lot of names. They used to say ladaki, chhakka, hijada, 50-50…”
Alex Mathew or Mayamma (12 Oct 1988)
Maya the drag Queen or Alex Mathew or Mayamma is a drag queen from India. Mother lover boy finally admitted that he is gay in September 2014. Many drag queen around the world are his inspirations, said in one of the TEDx Talks. When he saw a film called Mrs. Doubtfire, he came to know that he can also do drag and become a drag queen. According to Mayamma, drag is a pure performance of art.
Drag is not to be mixed with sexuality, I love being who I am, and not caught in the wrong body, and I love to perform as a woman onstage.
Maya the drag Queen
Rohit Khosla (29 Nov 1958 – 16 Feb 1994)
A Bisexual who became pioneer of Indian contemporary fashion industry. Born in an affluent Punjabi family, died when he was 36 due to cancer. His sister, Rohini Khosla, published a Biography titled “Rohit Khosla Vanguard” on his life and work. His earlier influencer was the Indian artist, Jamini Roy and actress, Vahida Rahman. The ambition of his teacher that he should become an actor, but Khosla did not stick to it.