Gay Prince Returns to India Enlightened

Gay icon and prince of Rajpipla Manvendra Singh Gohil’s visit to EuroPride festival at Stockholm in Sweden proved to be a huge success with the Swedish government and NGO’s extending support to him for his movement to take up issues of gays in India. Gohil’s NGO ‘Lakshya’ will also tie-up with Swedish NGOs and agencies to improve the condition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in India.

Under one of the tie-ups, HIV Sweden — an umbrella group formed by HIV positive people in Sweden — will come to India to document Lakshya’s body of work for gay men in Gujarat state. Even Swedish International Development Agency, formed by government of Sweden, has agreed to render financial and technical support to Gohil for his projects.

Many ministers and parliamentarians in Sweden have agreed to initiate talks with Indian ministers in order to make LGBT an acceptable community in India. Another agency, Noah Ark, has agreed to train people, especially counsellors working with LGBT community in India.

“This was first time that EuroPride organisers had invited an international representative in their annual festival. They wanted to know how India treats LGBT community and about the impediments we face. People I met asked me one question — “Aren’t you scared to take up such a cause in a country where homosexuality is a seen as a taboo?” shared Gohil.

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