For Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, widely recognized as the world’s first openly gay prince from the Gohil dynasty of Gujarat, living authentically has never been a private journey. It has been a public responsibility shaped by courage, resistance, and transformation. Born into royalty yet defined by truth, he has spent decades challenging stigma and rebuilding the idea of legacy itself.
A global voice of human rights, diversity, and inclusion, he is the founder of the Lakshya Trust that works toward health and empowerment of the LGBTQ+ community in Gujarat, and leads the ‘Manvendra Foundation’, a global coalition platform driving systemic social change. The foundation is rooted in championing equity and dignity for underrepresented groups, building SDG-aligned corporate and community partnerships, funding and scaling grassroots initiatives in health, education, upskilling, and livelihoods, and serving as a knowledge and advocacy hub for inclusive policy, research, and action. With the launch of its most ambitious initiative yet, ‘GlobalManav’, it moves from awareness to action, building systems that turn advocacy into measurable impact.
Q. Was there a moment in your life when you realized that your personal truth would also become a public responsibility?
Prince Manvendra Gohil: My personal truth was definitely going to become a public responsibility because I could not have remained in the closet forever. I have always been a truthful person and wanted to be true to myself and true to others.
It was important for me to make my personal truth a public issue, and thereby I decided to come out openly. This became my responsibility because I was representing the LGBTQ+ community at large. Eventually, I became an advocate for the issues the community was facing, not just within my state but on a national level, and I also became a global icon for the LGBTQ+ community after my appearance on shows like Oprah Winfrey and Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Q. Looking back, what was the most difficult conversation you’ve had with yourself or with those closest to you on this journey?
Prince Manvendra Gohil: The important conversation I had with myself was that it was necessary to take the step to be truthful because one cannot live a life of hypocrisy forever. If we do not become vocal or break the silence, then we cannot expect change to happen. I often tell others that even if they do not wish to come out publicly, they need to accept themselves and identify themselves with the identity they belong to. Self-acceptance is the first step—50% of your issues can be solved just by accepting your identity.
Q. As someone born into royalty, legacy is often inherited. But you’ve redefined it on your own terms. What does legacy mean to you today?
Prince Manvendra Gohil: Legacy is something you are born with, something you acquire and inherit, and it must continue in future generations, otherwise it gets lost.
For me, legacy is not just about being born in a royal family but also continuing the work I have started for the five pillars: Women, Persons with Disabilities (PWD), the LGBTQ+ community, Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Uniformed Personnel, working for their human rights.
Therefore, for me, legacy was to create the ‘Manvendra Foundation’ as a birthday gift to myself when I completed 60 years in September 2025. This foundation continues championing causes and commitments I had started even before I came out openly as gay, and enables others to continue the fight. At the same time, I believe legacy today has to move beyond identity and become a system. That is how we normalize acceptance, not just by celebrating it, but by making it structurally and economically relevant.
Q. Has there been a story that deeply changed how you see your role as an advocate? What challenges have you faced?
Prince Manvendra Gohil: I have met individuals who have told me, “Because of you, I am still alive.” They had thought of ending their lives, but after learning about my fight for LGBTQ+ rights, they found the strength to live their truth. If I have been able to save even one life, I feel mentally satisfied that whatever I have fought and sacrificed has been for the good.
My challenges have been extremely difficult… facing a hypocritical world while being truthful. I have faced stigma, discrimination, humiliation, and violations of human rights. But I continued because I knew one thing, that I am true to myself and true to others, and truth always wins.
Q. When the spotlight fades, what keeps you grounded and committed to this work?
Prince Manvendra Gohil: What keeps me grounded is working at the grassroots level. Understanding the difficulties people face and putting myself in their shoes. I have even disguised myself and gone out in public, taking bus and train rides to see the reality people face. That learning helps me to help others.
The second thing is self-love, which is very important. One should love oneself. When we start loving ourselves, our fears and negativity reduce, and we can spread love, peace, and happiness, creating a more harmonious world.
With his efforts anchored in GlobalManav, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil moves advocacy into a structured global system where awareness is no longer the endpoint, but the starting point for measurable, sustained change driven at the grassroots.
Join the movement as a member and turn awareness into real-world action by standing with grassroots movements for LGBTQ+ communities, women, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups.
