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Vishal Pinjani Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 14, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth14 February 1983

Age40 Years (as of 2023)

BirthplaceKolhapur, Maharashtra

ProfessionLGBTIQA Activist, TEDx Speaker, Poet, Actor

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyMother - Rajni Pinjani; Sister - Deepa Pinjani; Father - Name Not Known

Vishal Pinjani Biography

Vishal Pinjani is an Indian LGBTIQA activist, poet, TEDx speaker and actor from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He founded an NGO to support LGBTQIA+ people in his,

Early life and background
Vishal Pinjani was born on 14 February 1983 in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Raised in that city, he attended St. Xavier's High School and later studied at Swami Vivekanand College in Kolhapur. He identifies as gay and has spoken publicly about coming out to his parents at the age of 16. Vishal experienced bullying at school for behaviors that marked him as different, an experience he has addressed in public talks.

Career
Vishal has built a multifaceted public life as an LGBTIQA activist, poet, TEDx speaker and actor. He has been active in advocacy work for the LGBTQIA+ community in Maharashtra and beyond. In November 2017 he founded Abhimaan, an NGO aimed at supporting and empowering LGBTQIA+ people through workshops, events and awareness programs focused on gender studies and rights. He has said the organization was created in response to suicides among gay individuals in his hometown.

Beyond grassroots organizing, Vishal has used digital media to reach wider audiences. He created a YouTube channel in 2012 and began posting motivational and community-empowerment videos; his earliest posted video on the channel is titled “How to be Happy” (posted in 2020). In March 2020 he began working as an excellence coach, adding mentoring and personal-development work to his activities.

Vishal has also pursued creative projects. He writes poetry and regularly attends poets’ meetings and literary festivals. As an actor he appeared in the Indian gay web series The Visitor, which premiered on the Nakshatra Bagwe YouTube channel; he participated in the series in 2021 and returned for seasons 2 (2022) and 3 (2023).

Pageants and recognition
In 2023 Vishal entered the pageant circuit for LGBTQ representation. He won the title of Mr Gay Maharashtra 2023 and on 5 October 2023 he was crowned Mr Gay India at the Mr Gay World India event held in Pune. Following that national title, he represented India at the Mr Gay World pageant in Cape Town, South Africa on 27 October 2023. He has said the Mr Gay India title gives him a platform to highlight issues faced by gay men in rural parts of India, which he believes are frequently treated as urban problems.

Awards and honors
In February 2023 Vishal received the Social Impact Award from the Ignited Humanitarian Organisation, recognizing his work in the social and advocacy space.

Public profile
Vishal runs a bookstore called Granth, which he opened in Kolhapur in November 1999. The shop has hosted several visiting celebrities over the years. He is known to maintain a disciplined fitness routine and follows a strict workout regimen. He drives a Kia, and in public materials his physical measurements are listed as approximately 173 cm (5'8") in height and around 60 kg (132 lbs) in weight; other listed measurements and features include a chest measurement of 38 inches and black hair and eye color.

Personal life
Vishal’s mother is named Rajni Pinjani and he has an elder sister named Deepa Pinjani. He is unmarried. Publicly noted relationship information lists Faroon Sheikh. Vishal has been open about his sexuality and his decision to be visible as a gay man has informed much of his advocacy and public speaking.

Latest updates
In 2023 Vishal continued to expand his visibility: he took part in consecutive seasons of The Visitor web series, secured the Mr Gay Maharashtra and Mr Gay India titles, represented India at Mr Gay World, and received the Social Impact Award from an Indian humanitarian organization. He continues to run Abhimaan and to organize workshops and community events focused on LGBTQIA+ rights and education.
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Recent Work

The Visitor (web series)

Actor in seasons 1 (2021), 2 (2022) and 3 (2023) of the Indian gay web series

2021-2023
Mr Gay India

Crowned Mr Gay India at Mr Gay World India 2023; represented India at Mr Gay World 2023

2023
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Career Highlights

  1. Founded Abhimaan NGO to support LGBTQIA+ community (2017)
  2. Crowned Mr Gay India (5 October 2023) and represented India at Mr Gay World (27 October 2023)
  3. Social Impact Award by Ignited Humanitarian Organisation (February 2023)
  4. Actor in The Visitor web series (2021–2023)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Vishal Pinjani born?

14 February 1983

What is Vishal Pinjani known for?

LGBTIQA Activist, TEDx Speaker, Poet, Actor

What is Vishal Pinjani’s marital status?

Unmarried