A gay Indian prince has opened up his 15-acre palace grounds to vulnerable LGBT people and is said to be constructing more buildings to house visitors.
The controversial Section 377 of the country’s penal code bans sexual activity that is “against the order of nature” and many have interpreted the wording to include gay sex.
"If I could undergo these problems then any other gay person could face a similar situation,” he said.
Prince Manvendra's charity provides counselling, clinical services and support groups to thousands of men who have sex with men.
The prince himself was forced into marriage in 1991 but has since said the relationship was "a total disaster".
Prince Manvendra, who had a highly traditional and conservative upbringing, appeared as a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show back in 2007.
The ruling leads the way for discriminatory practices against LGBT people in the country to be challenged in the courts. »