Rohin Bhatt is a queer, non-binary lawyer who practices in the Supreme Court of India. Their work spans both activism within the courtroom and outside it, along with extensive writing on issues related to queer rights and human rights. Bhatt holds a Master’s degree in Bioethics from Harvard Medical School and a law degree from Gujarat National Law University. They grew up in Gujarat and now live in Delhi.
In their legal career, Bhatt has been a key part of the litigation teams advocating for marriage equality, arguing for the right of LGBTQ citizens to equal marriage rights. They have also been involved in legal challenges to Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, the practice of Jallikattu, and the Supreme Court’s power to grant divorces under Article 142 of the Constitution of India. Bhatt successfully advocated for the installation of nine gender-neutral bathrooms in the Supreme Court for queer individuals.
Their persistent advocacy for inclusivity has led to the Supreme Court expanding its gender sensitisation committee into a gender and sexuality sensitisation committee. Bhatt has also been actively advocating for the inclusion of queer individuals in the Supreme Court’s Sexual Harassment policies, a matter that is currently under consideration.
In addition to their legal work, Bhatt’s first book, Urban Elite v. Union of India: The Unfulfilled Constitutional Promise of Marriage (In) Equality, is set to be published in October 2024 by Penguin Random House India. Their writings have appeared on platforms such as The Leaflet, The Wire Science, The Probe, and Live Law, as well as in national newspapers like The Indian Express, Times of India, and The Hindu. Bhatt is one of the foremost voices on queer rights and is frequently quoted on these issues by Indian media outlets such as The Quint, NewsLaundry, The Print, and Hindustan Times, as well as international media like The Guardian and BBC World Radio Service.
