Samarpan Maiti, who is working as a senior research fellow in the field of cancer drug discovery from a reputed institute in Kolkata, stumbled upon a modeling career after his friends pushed him towards getting into shape.
Maiti says that the win makes him feel like he is on the top of the world. The winner goes on to thank Sushant Digvikar, the director and producer of MGWI along with Sanket Sveronic and Darshil, who continuously worked to groom them and cared for them like members of a family.
“Being from a middle-class rural background I had to face many challenges to be in the position that I am in today. The win made me feel that finally, my struggles got acceptance,” he says, adding, “I will take this opportunity to inspire the thousands of struggling souls out there who are seeking acceptance too.”
“It is very important to send a representative from such a country that has not yet acknowledged the right of the LGBT community to speak about the discrimination, fights and social issues we are facing here,” says Maiti,
Maiti recollects that after his father passed away when he was nineteen, one of his friends, who, incidentally is his sister’s fiancé, took over all his responsibilities.
“I came out to my family in 2016,” Maiti says. While his sister eventually accepted him for his happiness, his mum who at first tried to cajole him into believing that it was just a phase, is still coming to terms with his orientation.
Now that he has won, Maiti feels that it is a formal recognition of his initiative and work.
“My focus is now on to represent my country at world stage in Mr. Gay world in South Africa this summer,” he said.
Maiti agrees that the win puts him in a position where he can represent and lead, not only members of the community but the youth, at large. The winner recollects that as a youngster, alienation was always a turmoil and there were no role models to look up to. This made him realize that with the title he has the opportunity to represent all that is good and inspiring from the community.
He goes on to say that he wants to help the underprivileged members of the LGBT community who are lagging behind and the uneducated people who live in slums in urban places and don’t know how to deal with society.
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