Renowned Hindi Author Says 'Homosexuality Is Unnatural'; Sparks Backlash

It has been eight years since the Supreme Court of India decriminalised homosexuality in 2018, striking down parts of Section 377 and affirming that sexual orientation is a natural variation of human identity. The law changed. The Constitution spoke. But on Indian campuses, many LGBTQ+ students would argue that mentality has barely moved. The recent controversy at the University of Hyderabad is a reminder of how wide the gap remains between what the law says and what campuses are willing to practice.

A Lecture That Went Off Script 

On January 20, a guest lecture organised by the Department of Hindi at the University of Hyderabad took a wild turn after author Neerja Madhav allegedly made remarks calling homosexuality “unnatural” and linking queer communities to the spread of diseases such as AIDS. 

Madhav, a noted Hindi author from Uttar Pradesh and a Nari Shakti Puraskar recipient (2021), had been invited to speak on Hindi literature and its critiques. What followed, however, had little to do with literary theory and everything to do with identity.

Students protested later the same day, making it clear that “guest lecture” is not a free pass to insult. Video clips from the campus show sloganeering and Madhav being gheraoed while exiting in her vehicle, with students demanding an apology. 

The Department of Hindi quickly issued a clarification, stressing that the remarks were solely the speaker’s responsibility and promising to exercise caution to prevent a repeat.

Neerja Madhav's Response

Madhav has stood by her remarks. Ironically, she is the author of Yamdeep, a book about the daily lives and struggles of transgender people. 

While she could not be reached for direct comments, she shared a statement on her Facebook page, saying that homosexuality is not the same as the third gender, and that transgender lives are the result of a “cruel twist of nature.”

She added, “Why should I apologise when I haven’t said anything wrong?” 

"When our children leave their homes for University, how are they being forced into such communities?" Madhav questioned, referring to queer communities. "Can the youth joining these communities safeguard our country? Will they be able to join the Army and defend our nation?"

What the Law Already Settled

The backlash was not just emotional. It was factual. Homosexuality was removed from the World Health Organisation’s list of mental disorders in 1990. In India, the Supreme Court’s 2018 Navtej Singh Johar judgment made it clear that sexual orientation is inherent and protected under the right to dignity, privacy, and equality.

A Familiar Campus Pattern

The UoH episode fits into a broader national pattern. Even after 2018, LGBTQ+ students across Indian campuses continue to report exclusion and passive hostility.

On October 1, 2019, Delhi’s Ambedkar University demolished the Azaadi Wall, also known as the Wall of Dissent. The wall carried political messages, including pro-LGBTQIA graffiti. The administration cited campus-wide whitewashing as the reason. In 2018, at Delhi’s Jesus and Mary College, students were denied permission to formally register queer collectives because the campus was “apolitical”. 

As several queer students have pointed out over the years, administrations often claim to be “tolerant” rather than supportive. Queer identities are allowed to exist, but only quietly. Visibility is where the trouble begins.

Beyond One Speaker

This controversy is not just about one lecture or one author. It is about what universities choose to protect. Academic freedom matters, but so does student dignity. Debate is healthy, but it cannot come at the cost of questioning someone’s humanity. The Supreme Court may have closed one chapter in 2018. Indian campuses, it seems, are still struggling to turn the page.

Views expressed are the author's own.