KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 13

"Love prevails in Nepal, Anju Devi Shrestha, aka Dipti Shrestha, 33, and Suprita Gurung, 33, both born female and identifying as women, have recently made history as the first lesbian couple in South Asia from Nepal to officially register their marriage in Baddiyatal, Ward No. 2, Jamuni Village (bordering India)," said Sunil Babu Pant.

Pant, a long-time advocate for LGBTIQA+ community rights and former legislator, claimed that this is the first lesbian couple legally acknowledged in South Asia.

"This is the first time a lesbian couple has legally registered for marriage in South Asia," he told THT. "In addition, Nepal was the first country in South Asia to officially acknowledge same-sex marriage."

On November 29 of last year, Maya Gurung, 35, and Surendra Pandey, 27, became the first same-sex couple in the Lamjung district to legally register their marriage. At birth, Gurung and Pandey were both male.

Similarly, the government has officially recognized the same-sex marriage of 33-year-old Anju Devi Shrestha (Dipti) of Bardiya and Suprita Gurung, 33, of Tanahun.

Dipti told THT that they have been living together for more than five years now. "However, we had not been able to go public in this manner. We heard that the government had opened a way to legally recognize our relationship, so we officially registered our marriage."

Shrestha of Badhaiyatal-2, Bardiya, and Gurung of Bandipur-5, Tanahun, are both women.

Their marriage received legal recognition when the Badhaiyatal Rural Municipality, Ward No. 2 Office registered it. Shrestha and Gurung got married after falling in love five years ago. "We got married with the help of a lawyer and with our family's consent," Shrestha said.

Deepak Nepali, ward secretary and civil registration officer of Badhaiyatal-2, stated that Anju and Suprita applied to the Ward Office on January 18, 2024, to register their marriage, and the Office issued the marriage registration certificate on Sunday, in collaboration with the technical section of the Department of National ID and Civil Registration.

The certificate states that the marriage has been temporarily registered until the relevant law is formulated, according to Arjun Subedi, chief administrative officer of the Rural Municipality.

Dipti currently lives in Kohalpur-5, Banke district, while Suprita lives in Britain.

"We met through Facebook when we were in Grade 12. We decided to marry as our relationship grew stronger and deeper," Anju added.

"We married according to religious custom after we fell in love and began living together," she said. According to her, they married five years ago at the Chhanchhangdi Temple in Waling, Syangja.

Anju expressed that we have already built our house and have started living in it.

Paschim Tara Nepal, Nepalgunj, and Mayako Pahichan Nepal, Kathmandu, two social organisations advocating for the rights and identity of sexual and gender minority communities, have stated that the registration of Anju and Suprita's marriage has bolstered their campaign.

"The LGBTIQA+ communities in Nepal have successfully fought for over 20 years to have same-sex marriage legally recognized. The campaign was launched in 2001 with the goal of advancing the rights of sexual minorities based on their identities," read the statement issued by Mayako Pahichan Nepal.