Coming out as India’s first gay prince

Lives Less Ordinary

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.6 • 814 Ratings

🗓️ 2 January 2023

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil risked everything when he faced his parents and society

He was next in line to a centuries-old royal dynasty in the Indian state of Gujarat - and grew up in the 1970s in a gilded cage. His family's desire to keep his blue blood away from what they called ‘commoners’ meant that, growing up, he missed out on formative experiences like making friends. After a failed marriage to a princess, Manvendra finally shed his royal cocoon and was determined to break out and explore the world, and his sexuality. With the help of his new friend Ashok, a gay rights activist, the prince began a process of self-acceptance that would be put to the ultimate test.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Edgar Maddicott Editor: Munazza Khan

Transcript

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0:00.0	You are about to listen to a BBC podcast and I'd like to tell you a bit about what goes into making one.
0:06.5	I'm Sadata Sese, an assistant commissioner of podcasts for BBC Sounds.
0:11.1	I pull a lot of levers to support a diverse range of podcasts on all sorts of subjects,
0:16.0	relationships, identity, comedy, even one that mixes poetry, music and inner city life.
0:22.4	So one day I'll be helping host develop their ideas, the next fact-checking, a feature,
0:28.3	and the next looking at how a podcast connects with its audience.
0:32.3	And maybe that's you.
0:33.6	So if you like this podcast, check out some others on BBC Sounds.
0:38.3	Suddenly one day this bird came and I just held it in my hand and one of its legs had got injured.
0:44.6	I used to feed it and take care of it.
0:50.2	We're in India. It's the 1970s and a young prince, Manvendra Singh Gohel, is surrounded by nature in the garden of his palace.
1:01.4	It would come and sit wherever I was sitting. It would come and fly on me.
1:06.7	The way you're describing it, it sounds to me like you loved this bird.
1:12.3	I mean, was it your best friend?
1:14.7	Yes, definitely it was my best friend.
1:16.5	And then I started pampering that bird.
1:18.6	And it refused to eat bird food and it would eat all the human food.
1:22.4	It would love pastries, cakes, pizzas, puffs and jam tarts and puddings and cold coffee and strawberry milkshake
1:31.6	and whatever I would have, that bird would have that.
1:51.7	This is the Lives Less Ordinary podcast from the BBC World Service.
1:53.0	I'm Mabinazar.
1:59.2	The story of Manvendra's relationship with his feathered best friend is endearing,
	...

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