Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], Jan 11 (NT): Prince Yuvraj Manvendra Singh Gohil, India's only openly gay prince, has opened his Hanumanteshwar Palace as a centre for the upliftment of the vulnerable LGBTQ community.

Through his foundation, Lakshya Trust, the heir apparent to the throne of Gujarat's Rajpipla has dedicated the Hanumanteshwar Palace, located 15 km from Rajpipla, as a centre where the marketable skills of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and homosexual individuals will be honed in order to make them financially self-reliant.

The benevolent move has been immensely appreciated by the Lakshya Trust.

"There's still some support for the 'Kinnar' (intersex) community but the transgenders don't have any support when they face family issues and are disowned by them. They don't have jobs and no one provides them lodging so it's a good step especially for the transgender," Ayesha Sheikh, office-bearer of the Lakshya Trust.

His endeavour is commendable and I hope more such steps are taken in the society towards the LGBTQ community. Protection of a community is the whole society's duty," Lakshya Trust's Jayanti Parmar said.

It is notable that the nation's LGBTQ community is still vying for the removal of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that illegalize homosexual relations.The Supreme Court's recent decision to review the constitutional validity of the section has renewed the community's hopes for a change. (NT)