We call celebrities stars. We imagine them as these unattainable out-worldly creatures from another planet, separate from the lives of the common people. When I set out to meet Samarpan Maiti, who is quite the celebrity now having bagged the second runner-up prize at Mr. Gay World 2018 held in South Africa, I quite expected to meet a ‘star’. Who I did meet was this beautiful humble person. He was just as tall, just as awkward, with broken English, as I (one of the commons).
Samarpan comes from a small village in Midnapore, West Bengal. He realised he was gay during his high school years. He was bullied for his effeminacy in school and driven out of his college hostel because of rumours that he was dating his best friend. Now, he works as a cancer researcher in Kolkata, out to the world. He also works to better lives of the underprivileged queer community.
I had a wonderful little chat with him about a few of his many experiences for Gaysi.
