Priyanka Chopra Jonas Writes an Article Honouring Menaka Guruswamy, Arundhati Katju, Two Lawyers in TIME’s List of 100 Most Influential People of 2019

Three Indians made it to TIME's annual list of 100 most influential people of the year. One of them was Reliance Industries honcho Mukesh Ambani, and the other two may not be as rich as Mr Ambani, but they are as powerful when it comes to the impact they had on the society. Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju, two women lawyers, have found prominent spots in the list. Reason? They have been honoured for their exemplary work in the legal battle against taking down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, that decriminalises gay sex. TIME list of 100 Most Influential People 2019: Indian Lawyers Arundhati Katju, Menaka Guruswamy Get Featured for Section 377 Victory

What's more, it was actress Priyanka Chopra who wrote the piece in TIME to pay a tribute to these heroes. Priyanka, who herself had been in the list in 2016, wrote a beautiful article on how Guruswamy and Katju ushered in a new wave in Indian society.

She wrote, "An outdated legacy of the British colonization of India, Section 377 rendered all sexual activities 'against the order of nature' punishable by law. This landmark judgment, overturning a 157-year-old law, was the outcome of a long-term campaign orchestrated by two amazing public-interest litigators, Arundhati Katju and Menaka Guruswamy. The fight has been hard. The LGBTQ+ community has battled on both legal and social fronts for decades-—for their fundamental rights, for privacy, for dignity, for safety and for love.”

Writing further in her admiration for the lawyers, Priyanka added, "Arundhati and Menaka have helped take a giant step for LGBTQ+ rights in the world’s largest democracy. In their committed fight for justice, they have shown us that we as a society must continue to make progress, even after laws are changed, and that we must make an effort to understand, accept and love. It is who we are as people." Best LGBTQ Moments of 2018: Section 377 Decriminalised, and 5 Great Events In The Global Queer Community.

Katju is the niece of former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju. Guruswamy is the daughter of Mohan Guruswamy, a well-known political-thinker and adviser to former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. We hope that their achievements inspire others in coming ahead and bringing a positive change to society. (with inputs from IANS)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 19, 2019 11:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).