Get to know me

What happens when a middle-aged, professional woman, a mother of adult twins, finally decides to shed her fears, live her truth, and come out as gay in India?

A lot happens.

Especially if you are 50, successful, and appear to be living a “settled,” fairy-tale life.

People call you crazy. They question your motives. They talk, they judge, they label, regardless of your intentions. But I asked myself one simple question that changed everything:

“If not me, WHO? If not now, WHEN?”

I was raised in a traditional Indian family in Mumbai, where I followed every expectation set before me. I married, had twins, moved to New Zealand, and built a thriving international career across advertising, marketing, fundraising, and leadership. I did everything “right.” And yet, for decades, I lived with a truth I was afraid to speak.

When my marriage ended, I finally stepped out of hiding.

Coming out at 50 publicly and unapologetically was not just about me. It was a stand for visibility, for older queer women, for mothers, for South Asians, for anyone afraid to live their truth. My debut book, Untold Lies, chronicled that journey and sparked national conversation in India, where LGBTQ+ rights were only recently beginning to emerge from the shadows of criminalisation.

My story is not typical and perhaps that’s why it resonated. Vulnerability always works. It’s what connects us.

In the wake of my coming out, I was met with pain, stigma, and even danger at one point, my own mother, overcome with fear and shame, held a blade over my head. I was ostracised from everything I knew. But in time, I rebuilt. Today, I live in a joyful, stable, cross-cultural relationship with my partner, a woman who I am legally married to..

In 2020, acclaimed filmmaker Onir signed a deal to adapt my story into an international feature film.

Since then, I have shared my journey on global platforms, in media, and on stages around the world. I am the Founder of OUTspoken Speakers Network CIC, the UK’s first speaker agency and social enterprise dedicated to LGBTQIA+ women, non-binary individuals, and allies. Under the platform The Views Room, I curate and host the podcasts focussed on queer voices – the current season 3 focusses on Older Queer Voices celebrating the resilience and lived wisdom of older LGBTQ+ individuals.

My TEDx talk, 50&OUT, continues to inspire people across generations, cultures, and identities.

I’ve been honoured with the 2025 Queer Leaders Award by We Create Space, featured on MyGwork’s 20 Trailblazing Lesbians (2025), and named one of PinkNews’ Top 21 Activists (2023). I was also a finalist for the Asian Achievers Woman of the Year Award in 2021 and recognised at the UK Parliament with the Woman of Courage Award for 2 consecutive years.

I believe in the power of storytelling not just as a tool for advocacy, but as a way to build bridges where none existed. This is more than a coming out story. It’s a coming home to myself and an invitation for others to do the same.

   CHECK OUT SOME OF MY YOUTUBE VIDEOS – CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>