Gopi Shankar Madurai Biography 
Gopi Shankar Madurai is a social activist who strives for the betterment of sexual minorities in India. In 2016 Shankar became one of the youngest, and the first openly intersex and genderqueer, candidates to contest in state Assembly elections. An equal rights and Indigenous rights activist, Shankar established Srishti Madurai on 2 September 2011. It is the first genderqueer & LGBTQIA student volunteer group designed to target the problems of LGBTQIA+ people in non-metro cities of Tamil Nadu. Gopi has also authored one book, regarding this subject. Shankar is also a yoga instructor for the past 5 years.
Shankar was born as Sarvapunya on April 13, 1991 in the slum areas of Madurai. Shankar got attracted to Ramakrishna Mission during early teens, and was accepted as a probationer for being a monk at Ramakrishna Math. Shankar was given spiritual initiation by Swami Gitanandaji in 2005. After 5 years Shankar left the math to pursue studies in Religion, Philosophy, and Sociology at The American College in Madurai. But Shankar didn’t complete the studies. Shankar has been practising yoga for the past 15 years, and currently teaches students.
In 2011, Shankar founded the NGO Srishti Madurai, and also launched India's first helpline for genderqueer. Now it offers 24-hour service, and its tagline is Just having someone understanding to talk to can save a life. In 2017 Shankar was elected to the Executive board of ILGA Asia. Shankar submitted a petition to support the athlete Santhi Soundarajan who was stripped off her Asian games medal after a gender test. When the historic bill on Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2014 was passed at Rajya Sabha, Shankar witnessed the eve. Shankar is a recipient of Queen's Young Leader Award 2017 and many more honours.
Published: July 23, 2018
Updated: July 23, 2018
