I was born and raised in a small town near Kolhapur (Maharashtra-India). There were almost no LGBTQIA+ people visible in our society. I always knew I was attracted to boys. However I didn’t share this with the outside world as I was afraid that something was wrong with me and others wouldn't understand me.
As time passed, I accepted myself, still I was not sure if I should share it with others. However, I got so tired of hiding my reality from the people I love so much. So, I came out to my mother and brother in 2017. They were shocked at first. Thankfully, within a few months, their confusion and pain melted away. They came around and provided me with the love, affection, empathy and support that I needed.
I shifted to Mumbai for work. As a small-town gay man, Mumbai felt like a different planet altogether. I was overwhelmed by how thriving the LGBTQIA+ culture was there in Mumbai. It literally brought me to tears the first time when I saw thousands of people marching on the streets for Pride in Mumbai and Pune. Surely, I wasn’t alone in this world.
Living in Mumbai taught me to embrace all spectrums of diversity. I had never met so many people from different backgrounds who were so different than me. It was enlightening and joyful experience for me. I have been living in Mumbai for years now and I made friends who are like family to me. Seven years ago, I met my spouse on gay social platform. During COVID, we decided to get into relationship. A few months back, we planned a small wedding like function during our vacation in another country. As my spouse is not open to his family about his sexual preferences yet, only my family was present. Even though there is no recognition to same sex marriage in India, we wanted to celebrate the same way heterosexual couple celebrate. We are so happy that we did it. And I am hopeful that things will change in few years.
I’ve been very lucky to have managers who fully accepted and supported me throughout my professional career. I joined Wipro in 2024. I knew the LGBTQIA+ community existed in the corporate world, but I wasn’t sure it would be enough to make me feel secure. While I never announced my sexuality, I never hid it from my boss. He’s been a mentor and great ally. He has set the tone and create a culture that makes me feel safe.
I’m inspired and grateful for Wipro's inclusivity policies, initiatives towards LGBTQIA+. My experience during onboarding was great. HR department gave complete support and solved my all doubts. Also, I am thankful to my colleagues for conducting India Pride ERG meets on monthly basis and informing about the developments and different initiatives of Wipro. They also acknowledged and resolved my query regarding enrolment of same sex partner in health insurance in the Wipro intranet portal, The Dot very promptly.
Overall Wipro has created great atmosphere. and that gave me the confidence to be myself, my true self. I know firsthand that coming out at work can be stressful, and all the uncertainty and challenges are tough. But everyone I mentioned above have been extraordinary in creating a space that is not only safe but also supportive. I take pride in saying that Wipro has taught me how I deserve to be treated at the workplace. And hopefully I will be able to create the same environment for everyone around me.
Happy Pride Everyone!
