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{{Short description|Indian human rights and animal rights activist}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Anjali Gopalan
| image = Anjali Gopalan.jpg
| caption = Gopalan, circa 2009
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|9|1|df=y}} <br/>[[Madras]], [[Madras State]], India<ref name="world-citizenship.org">{{cite web|url=http://word.world-citizenship.org/wp-archive/1785|title=World People's Blog|accessdate=20 March 2015|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402110617/http://word.world-citizenship.org/wp-archive/1785|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| occupation = LGBT rights activist,<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8130052.stm Activists welcome India gay ruling] ''[[BBC]]'' 3 July 2009 06:55 UK</ref> Executive Director of The [[Naz Foundation (India) Trust]]<ref>[http://www.nazindia.org/about.htm About Naz India ] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120629205259/http://www.nazindia.org/about.htm |date=29 June 2012 }}'' [[Naz Foundation (India) Trust]]'' retrieved 14 May 2012</ref>
| awards = ''{{section link|#Awards and recognition}}''
| education =
| alma_mater =
}}

'''Anjali Gopalan''' {{Audio|Anjali_Gopalan.ogg|pronunciation}} is an Indian [[human rights]] and [[animal rights]] activist.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2023-06-26 |title='Badhaai Do Was A Huge Step': Activist Anjali Gopalan On Queer Representation In Indian Cinema |url=https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/originals/anjali-gopalan-queer-interview-602824.html |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=IndiaTimes |language=en-IN}}</ref> She is the founder and executive director of [[Naz Foundation (India) Trust|The Naz Foundation Trust]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-07-15 |title=Anjali Gopalan {{!}} WEF |url=https://www.wef.org.in/anjali-gopalan/,%20https://www.wef.org.in/anjali-gopalan/ |access-date=2024-06-25 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2012, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine placed Gopalan on its [[Time 100|list of the 100 most influential people in the world]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120419073132/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2111975_2111976_2112141,00.html "The 100 Most Influential People in the World: Anjali Gopalan"]. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''. (18 April 2012). Retrieved 13 May 2012.</ref>

==Early life==

Anjali Gopalan was born on September 1, 1957, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Her father, [[Group Captain]] Dr KR Gopalan, was an officer in the [[Indian Air Force]]; her [[Punjabi people|Punjabi]] mother was a homemaker.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} Gopalan did her schooling in [[La Martiniere Lucknow]].

She studied in both India and the United States and received her Bachelor's degree in political science from [[Lady Shri Ram College for Women]],<ref>[https://lsr.edu.in/distinguished-alumnae/ Lady Shri Ram College website, List of Alumni]</ref> as well as a postgraduate diploma in journalism and a Masters in International Development from the [[Indian School of International Studies|School of International studies]], [[Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi|Jawaharlal Nehru University]].<ref>[https://www.indiatimes.com/lifestyle/self/jnurow-here-are-10-most-prominent-alumni-of-jnu-311693.html India Times, Alumni article dated March 5, 2016]</ref>

==Social work==
{{Quote box|width=246px|quote="It is a reflection of what we are doing with our minorities. Be it in Kashmir, be it in the North East, be it rights for the sexual minority, animal rights, it is the same attitude. We are becoming more and more intolerant of the other". All individuals, if you give them the space, will prove to be productive citizens. "But if you impose your sets of right and wrong and therefore they have no right to live, then what can you expect from people?"<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/popular-and-personal/article5483312.ece|title=Popular and personal|first=Sangeeta Barooah|last=Pisharoty|date=20 December 2013|newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref> |source=— Anjali Gopalan on re-criminalisation of homosexuality in India}}

===Early work===
Gopalan collaborated with community-based organizations in [[New York City]],<ref name=":0" /> assisting migrants from [[Southeast Asia]] without valid documentation.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Bose|first1=Ajoy|date=7 November 2022 |title=Profile: Anjali Gopalan, Founder of the Naz Foundation Trust and human rights advocate |url=https://healthissuesindia.com/2022/11/07/profile-anjali-gopalan-founder-of-the-naz-foundation-trust-and-human-rights-advocate/ |access-date=15 September 2024 |website=Health Issues India |language=en-US}}</ref> She later founded the Naz Foundation.<ref name="world-citizenship.org"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ashoka.org/fellow/anjali-gopalan|title=Anjali Gopalan - Ashoka - Innovators for the Public|accessdate=20 March 2015}}</ref>

===1990s===

In 1994, upon returning to India, Gopalan established Delhi's first HIV clinic.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Aditya|last1=Sagar|url=https://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/originals/anjali-gopalan-queer-interview-602824.html|title='Badhaai Do Was A Huge Step': Activist Anjali Gopalan On Queer Representation In Indian Cinema|website=[[India Times]]|date=21 October 2023|access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref> The same year, she founded the [[Naz Foundation (India) Trust]], an organization focused on supporting [[LGBT]] individuals and children affected by [[HIV]].<ref name=":0" /> The foundation also works to promote the rights of individuals with marginalized sexual orientations.

===2000s===

In 2000, Gopalan opened India’s first care home for orphaned and vulnerable HIV-positive children and women.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://indiaanimalfund.org/partner-spotlight-all-creatures-great-and-small/|title=Partner Spotlight All Creatures Great and Small|first1=Heer|last1=Shukla|website=Indian Animal Fund|access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref> She also provided training for healthcare professionals and caregivers on how to care for HIV-positive children in both residential and foster care settings.

{{main|Naz Foundation v. Govt. of NCT of Delhi}}
In 2001, Gopalan’s organization, Naz Foundation, filed a [[Public Interest Litigation]] (PIL) challenging [[Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code]], which criminalized [[homosexuality]]. The legal challenge sought to address the harassment and discrimination faced by individuals based on their sexual orientation. In 2009, the [[Delhi High Court]] ruled in favor of the Naz Foundation, declaring Section 377 a violation of individual rights.<ref name=HII>{{cite web|url=https://healthissuesindia.com/2022/11/07/profile-anjali-gopalan-founder-of-the-naz-foundation-trust-and-human-rights-advocate/|title=Profile: Anjali Gopalan, Founder of the Naz Foundation Trust and human rights advocate|first1=Ajoy|last1=Bose|website=healthissuesindia.com|access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref>
{{Quote box|width=246px|bgcolor=#c6dbf7|align=right|quote=When I started working in the 1990s on addressing rights of gay men, I never thought that I would be sitting in a place like Madurai and discussing about LGBT issues, I feel very ecstatic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/article3701774.ece?fb_action_ids=404953079560834&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=246965925417366|title=National Tamil Nadu: Madurai comes out of the closet|work=The Hindu|accessdate=30 July 2012}}</ref> |source=— Anjali Gopalan, on the Alan Turing Rainbow Festival Organized by [[Srishti Madurai]]}}

In 2001, Gopalan was awarded the Commonwealth Award<ref name=HII /> for her work with marginalized communities. The Chennai-based Manava Seva Dharma Samvardhani presented her with the Sadguru Gnanananda Award in 2003 for her work in supporting those living with HIV/AIDS.

In March 2007, Gopalan was honored as a Woman Achiever<ref name=HII /> by the [[Ministry of Women and Child Development]], along with nine other awardees. On July 29, 2012, Gopalan inaugurated the [[Alan Turing]] Rainbow festival and flag of Asia's first [[genderqueer]] [[pride parade]] as a part of the Turing festival organized by [[Gopi Shankar Madurai]] of Srishti Madurai. This was the first gay pride parade attended by Gopalan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianoilxpress.com/Articles.aspx?ArticleID=4377&tID=7|title=Weekend Xpress: Trendsetter|accessdate=20 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217053853/http://www.indianoilxpress.com/Articles.aspx?ArticleID=4377&tID=7|archive-date=17 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since September 2, 2012, she has served as the advisory head of the committee of [[Srishti Madurai]].<ref name="One Who Fights For an Other">{{cite web |title=One Who Fights For an Other |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/education/edex/One-Who-Fights-For-an-Other/2015/04/13/article2756559.ece |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150519130306/http://www.newindianexpress.com/education/edex/One-Who-Fights-For-an-Other/2015/04/13/article2756559.ece |archive-date=19 May 2015 |work=The New Indian Express}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://srishtiglobal.org/main/node/99|title=Shri. Chevalier, Anjali Gopalan|accessdate=20 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150302201753/http://srishtiglobal.org/main/node/99|archive-date=2 March 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2012, Gopalan established an animal sanctuary called "All Creatures Great and Small" at Silakhari, [[Haryana|Harayana]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Creatures Great and Small, Animal Sanctuary, Haryana, India |url=https://allcreaturesgreatandsmall.in/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

On October 25, 2013, Gopalan was awarded the [[Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur]] in the order of the legions of honor, the highest award from [[France]]; the award was presented to her by [[Najat Vallaud-Belkacem]], [[Ministry of Women's Rights (France)|Minister of Women's Rights for France]]. Gopalan is the first [[Tamil people|Indian Tamil]] woman awarded the "Legion of Honour".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://epaper.newindianexpress.com/c/1837884|title=Clipping of The New Indian Express-Madurai|access-date=20 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/french-award-for-anjali-gopalan-113102501213_1.html|title=French award for Anjali Gopalan|author=Press Trust of India|newspaper=Business Standard India |date=25 October 2013|accessdate=20 March 2015}}</ref>

== Awards and recognition ==

* [[People of the Year|People of the Year Award]] (2014)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.limcabookofrecords.in/peopleoftheyear/7.aspx |title=Empowering Women |access-date=29 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903131540/http://www.limcabookofrecords.in/peopleoftheyear/7.aspx |archive-date=3 September 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[File:Legion Honneur Officier ribbon.svg|40px]] [[Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur]] (2013)
* [[Time 100|''Time'' 100 Most Influential People in the World]] (2012)
* Woman Achiever Award by the [[Government of India]] (2007)<ref name="Satyamevjayate">{{Cite web|url=https://www.satyamevjayate.in/accepting-alternative-sexualities/ngo-naz-foundation.aspx#:~:text=Ms%20Gopalan%20received%20the%20Woman,Commonwealth%20Award|title=Naz Foundation - Accepting alternative sexualities {{!}} satyamevjayate.in|website=www.satyamevjayate.in|access-date=2019-06-15}}</ref>
* [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] Award (2001)<ref name="Satyamevjayate" />

== In popular culture ==
In [[Hansal Mehta]]'s 2015 [[Bollywood]] movie ''[[Aligarh (film)|Aligarh]]'', actress Nuthan Surya portrayed Gopalan.

==Anjali Gopalan Srishti Awards for Social Justice Journalism==
The academic committee of [[Srishti Madurai]] awards the ''Anjali Gopalan Srishti Awards for Social Justice Journalism'' to social [[journalists]]. The first award was received by V. Mayilvaganan and V. Narayanswamy from ''[[The Times of India]]'' for highlighting issues regarding [[genderqueer]] people and [[Santhi Soundarajan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://srishtimadurai.blogspot.in/2014/08/srishti-tamil-lambda-literary-awards.html|title=Srishti Madurai|author=Gopi Shankar|accessdate=20 March 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gopalan, Anjali}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Indian LGBTQ rights activists]]
[[Category:People from Chennai]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres]]
[[Category:Lady Shri Ram College alumni]]
[[Category:Jawaharlal Nehru University alumni]]

Anjali Gopalan - Revision history

Maryparker at 05:37, 6 February 2026