Dr. L. Ramakrishnan is an integrative biologist by training, and has been associated with the public health NGO SAATHII for the past 20 years. He works towards inclusive healthcare, justice and social protection for marginalised communities such as LGBTIQA+ communities and those vulnerable to HIV.
Ramki has contributed to developing and delivering gender-sexuality content for teachers, students of medicine, law and nursing, professional medical associations, DLSA lawyers, judicial and police training academies; and to the 2022 module for Supreme Court judges. He has advocated successfully for LGBTIQ inclusion in state policies and was part of the team consulted by the Madras High Court in the Sushma and Seema vs. Commissioner of Police landmark orders of 2021.
He also volunteers with Orinam, an LGBTIQA+ collective in Chennai, as a peer counselor, crisis supporter and co-curator of QUILT (queer reading group) and Reel Desires, the Chennai International Queer Film Festival.
SAATHII, the NGO with which he is associated, operates Legal Aid Clinics for the transgender community in partnership with the government in Odisha and Manipur, and has helped nearly 2000 individuals obtain legal name and gender change in government identity documents. SAATHII has also contributed to HIV testing of 14 million pregnant women, provided sexual health services to 500,000 prisoners, and over 100,000 LGBTIQ individuals.
