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A video of the Red Fort blast prime suspect defending the attack has surfaced online.
He describes the bombing as a “martyrdom operation,” rejecting the term “suicide bombing.”
The accused speaks in fluent, accented English while justifying his actions in the clip.
The first ever Indian prince to have openly come out as gay, leaving a mark on both the royal family and LGBTQ+ history, is the prince of Rajpipla, Gujarat, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil. He holds the title of being the first openly gay royal of India, as he came out publicly in 2006. His journey shows how he challenged social norms, inspiring transformation through activism for queer rights and mental health support.
Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil was born into the royal family of the princely state of Rajpipla, Gujarat, in 1965. He grew up under the weight of legacy and the expectations of a traditional royal upbringing. He later shared that he sensed his feelings did not align with the heterosexual life expected by society from a very young age.
He was married to Princess Chandrika Kumari of Jhabua in 1991 under societal pressure. However, their marriage soon came to an end, which Manvendra attributes to his lack of genuine romantic or physical attraction towards the princess. This made the union almost impossible to continue any further. Manvendra realised and accepted at the age of 30 that he was attracted to men. He had to fight an inner conflict as his identity clashed with the expectations of his royal lineage.
Manvendra came out publicly as gay while giving an interview to the local Gujarati newspaper Divya Bhaskar in March 2006. It soon became a widely discussed topic across the nation. He was publicly denounced in his home state, where people burned his posters. He was disowned by his parents, who labelled his “activities” unsuitable and claimed they brought dishonour to the royal family. His parents even tried to “cure” him through brain surgery and electric shock therapy upon learning about his sexuality, denouncing his homosexuality as a mental disorder.
Manvendra’s life took a significant turn as his personal struggle transformed into public activism after coming out. He discovered people similar to him when he appeared as a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show in the episode “Gay Around the World.” He also inaugurated EuroPride in Stockholm in 2008 as he travelled around the world to speak over the years. Later, he founded an organization called Lakshya Trust for the LGBTQ+ community in Gujarat.
The prince then met an American, DeAndre Richardson, via social media. Their friendship evolved, and over time, it turned into a love story that resulted in their marriage in 2013. Same-sex marriage was not legally recognized in India at that time. The union was a symbol of love that transcended culture, geography, and legal barriers, along with marking a personal milestone.
Then came the year 2018, when homosexuality was decriminalized in India. With that, Manvendra opened his palace grounds for LGBTQ+ individuals who were facing similar problems of being disowned and estranged. He planned to transform the shelter into a centre for vocational training, safe-sex education, menstrual health support, and medical as well as educational facilities. The Lakshya Trust, along with the community centre, acted as a link that blended royal legacy with grassroots empowerment.
His journey highlights the impact he has made across the social, cultural, and political spectrum of India. He served as a visible representation for those who often remain invisible, challenging taboos as a titled royal. He reclaimed his royal identity, repurposing the royal legacy for service by bridging the gap between tradition and progress. As he stated in his interviews, he never blamed his parents for his suffering but instead blamed the ignorance and lack of understanding in society.
Although there have been significant changes that led to the 2018 decriminalization of homosexuality, there is still a long way to go, given the conservative society and lack of acceptance. People still need time to accept the change completely and embrace something that challenges society's existing norms.
The blend of the weight of tradition with the promise of transformation embodies the life of Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil. He turned his struggle into purpose, and his royal title into a platform to speak for and represent LGBTQ+ people.
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