Rukshana Kapali was born in 1999 in Patan, Nepal. She is a well-known transgender activist who started the Queer Youth Group to support LGBTQIA+ people in Nepal. In 2023, she became the first transgender person in Nepal to have her gender legally recognized as female by the Supreme Court without needing any medical proof. This was a big step for transgender rights.
QUICK FACTS
- Born: 1999, Patan, Nepal
- Identity: Transgender Women
- Education: B.A. in Linguistics & Sociology (Tri-Chandra College); currently a final-year law student
- Founder: Queer Youth Group
- Known for: LGBTQIA+ rights activism, 2023 gender recognition case
- Recognition: BBC 100 Women (2023), TIME 100 Next (2024), Earth Company Impact Hero (2025)
Early life & Identity (1999-2015)
Rukshana Kapali was born in 1999 in Patan, Nepal, into the Newar community. From a young age, Rukshana felt different but lacked access to transgender information. She was bullied and abused by schoolmates and even teachers all the way up to SLC (grade 10).
When Rukshana was about 14, she found the term “transgender” and began to explore her identity online. By the time Rukshana was in ninth grade, she officially came out and started a blog in Nepal Bhasa, Nepali, and English on multiple social media platforms to document her journey and support other youth.
Rukshana’s early activism brought together her overlapping interests: LGBTQ+ rights activism, the rights of indigenous peoples for the Newar language and culture, feminism, and anti-violence online. She helped start a group called Queer Youth Group. Later, she and some friends made another group called Queer Rights Collective to speak up for queer and intersex people in Nepal.
Activism & Achievements (2016–Present)
1. LGBTQ+ Rights
Rukshana Kapali has been a powerful advocate for LGBTQ+ rights in Nepal since 2016. She played a pivotal role in advocating for legal recognition of gender identity in citizenship documents, thereby allowing transgender individuals recognition as themselves without the requirement of medical documentation. She has firmly partnered with the Blue Diamond Society, Nepal’s primary LGBTQ organization, and she has demanded anti-discrimination laws to protect queer communities. Rukshana has also spoken out publicly against police violence towards transgender persons, advocating for justice, equality, and dignity for all.
2. Newa Language Revival
Rukshana Kapali actively works to revive and protect the Newa language and culture. She helped get Nepal Bhasa officially included in the 2021 national census—a major win for indigenous language rights. On social media, she leads campaigns to preserve Newa scripts, language, and cultural traditions. She also speaks out against Nepal’s education system for ignoring indigenous languages and urges schools to adopt more inclusive and respectful language policies.
3. Intersectional Advocacy
Rukshana Kapali’s activism strongly focuses on intersectionality, showing how caste, gender, and ethnicity often overlap to create deeper layers of inequality in Nepalese society. She highlights how these factors affect marginalized communities in unique ways, especially for those who belong to more than one oppressed group. Rukshana also speaks out against religious bias in Nepal’s laws and policies, advocating for a truly secular state that respects the rights and identities of all, regardless of their background.
4. Achievements
Rukshana Kapali has also earned her international recognition. In 2023, she was named as one of the BBC 100 Women, highlighting her leadership in gender rights. TIME Magazine included her in the TIME 100 Next list in the following year, recognizing her as a rising global changemaker. In 2025, she was honored as an Impact Hero by Earth Company, celebrating her efforts to build a more just and inclusive society.
Challenges & Criticism
Rukshana Kapali’s activism has faced criticism from conservative groups in Nepal, especially those with strong religious or nationalist beliefs who disagree with her work on gender and indigenous rights. Government offices have also been slow to respond to her efforts, such as recognizing transgender people legally and protecting minority languages.
Regardless of the backlash, Rukshana continues to consolidate these duties. In the face of threats, cyberbullying, and malevolent emotional drag, she continues to fight for justice for all intersecting rights, with special passion for caste, gender, and language inequality.
Legacy and Impact
Rukshana Kapali has made a big impact on social justice in Nepal. She helped get legal recognition for third-gender people and worked to save the Nepal Bhasa language. By bringing together LGBTQ+ and indigenous rights, she created a movement that supports the most overlooked groups in society. Her strong and fearless work inspires young people to fight for fairness, change laws, and protect their culture.
Conclusion
Rukshana Kapali faced many challenges in her youth, and today she is an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, a defender of the Newa language, and a supporter of justice for all. Her work has truly drawn attention to the injustices that exist each and every day in our world. Rukshana’s story reminds us that with courage and hope we can really change the world for the better for everyone.
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