Who Is Menaka Guruswamy? Meet India's First Openly Queer MP

India's political landscape just witnessed a historic moment, and it's coming from Menaka Guruswamy. The senior advocate has officially taken an oath as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha on April 6, marking a powerful milestone for representation and inclusion. Nominated by the All India Trinamool Congress, her entry into Parliament makes her India's first openly queer MP.

Who is Menaka Guruswamy?

Born in Hyderabad in 1974, Guruswamy has long been a prominent name in India's legal circles. A senior advocate at the Supreme Court, she has been part of some of the country’s most defining constitutional battles. Her work in the landmark Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India case, where Section 377 of the IPC was read down, played a key role in decriminalising homosexuality in India, a turning point in the nation's legal and social history.

As per media reports, her journey in law began in 1997, when she joined the bar and worked under former Attorney General Ashok Desai. Over the years, she built a reputation for her sharp constitutional insight, representing a range of high-profile cases, including those involving the Trinamool Congress.

Academically, Guruswamy’s credentials are as impressive as her courtroom presence. She studied law at the National Law School of India University before heading to the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, where she pursued advanced legal studies and later completed her D.Phil. She also earned a master’s degree from Harvard Law School as a Gammon Fellow.

Beyond litigation, she has had a strong academic footprint, teaching at leading global institutions like Columbia Law School, Yale Law School, and New York University School of Law. Her areas of expertise include constitutional law, comparative legal systems, and governance in post-conflict regions.

Her influence extends internationally as well. Guruswamy has worked with organisations like the United Nations Children's Fund and advised on constitutional frameworks and human rights issues across countries.

In 2019, she was named among the TIME 100 Most Influential People alongside her partner and fellow lawyer Arundhati Katju, a recognition of both her legal impact and her role in advancing LGBTQ+ rights.