Amudarya News : In 1987, Urmila Srivastava and Leela Namdeo, two policewomen from Madhya Pradesh, became the first documented same-sex couple to marry in India. Following a Gandharva ritual, they exchanged garlands in a private ceremony. Their marriage made headlines in 1988 when photos surfaced, leading to their dismissal from the police force after facing harassment. The couple, who did not identify as lesbians, fought their dismissal in court, fearing for their financial future. Their story, a landmark for India’s LGBTQIA+ movement, is explored in Maya Sharma’s book Loving Women.
