For The First Time, Ahmedabad’s Karnavati University To Have A Chair Professor From LGBTQ Community

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Last year, the Supreme Court made passed a historic judgement by decriminalising section 377 of the IPC. This year, people belonging to the LGBTQ community has one more reason to celebrate.

Ahmedabad's Karnavati University is likely to be the first varsity in India to dedicate a chair for LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer).

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The chair professor will be an eminent person from the same community and who will share the knowledge among the students and will work on the issues related to them.

The decision was announced on the launch of the second edition of the course module, on the 'Proclivity of Gender: Socio-Legal Approach to LGBTQ Community' on Monday, 9 September.

According to Shrut Brahmbhatt, the organising secretary of the above-mentioned course and the assistant professor at the United World School Of Law, "A chair is an establishment that comprises several people. It is headed by the chair professor, associate professors and research associates who would be working for this particular community."

An external endowment is also expected for the chair, he said to the press. "This will generate employment opportunities for people of the community as well and others who are employed precisely for this chair," he added.

The provost of the university, Deepak Shishoo mentioned, that "The chair will be an eminent and knowledgeable personality from LGBTQ community, who has a legal background about this and who can transfer that knowledge to the faculty and the students."

Adding to this he said, that the university receives letters from the government office regarding awareness, but till date, there was not a single circular that asked them to make the LGBTQ community more inclusive.

The event was attended by the former secretary of the Ministry of Law and Justice, PK Malhotra, who was their chief guest and Manvendra Singh Gohli, the prince of Rajpipla and the founder of the Lakshya Trust as their special guests.

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"The youth population is the one that will help us to bring out issues into the mainstream. In the coming days, we hope to see changes in the mindset of society. Even migrants are issued aadhaar card and here we are just for our rights, nothing else. Unfortunately, the implementation of the law is not happening the way it should be," said Manvendra Singh Gohli.