Benhur Samson claimed he has already received nearly 250 enquiries. (Representational image)
An NRI settled in the US has started first-of-its kind portal which will serve as a customised marriage agency for homosexuals to find life partners in India.
Benhur Samson, who has been working in the field of medical tourism and helping gay couples have children through surrogacy, said he decided to start the service arrangegaymarriage.com for homosexuals to get life partners after receiving requests from his clients.
"In June when (US President Barack) Obama declared marriage equality rights. I realised that while so many heterosexuals were visiting India to get married, then why not do the same for homosexuals," Mr Samson told Press Trust of India over phone from Hyderabad.
He said that his customised marriage agency for gay couples is different from numerous dating sites that cater to gays as here they familiarise themselves with the clients for nearly a year before finding their partner, based on their requirements.
He claimed that he has already received nearly 250 enquiries from gays, mostly Indians, and his agency has already helped 29 couples tie the knot through the portal. The agency conducts background checks as well as counselling.
"We have received enquiries from about 250 clients, mostly from India, of which one-fifth have enrolled, as not everybody can enrol because fee is USD 5,000. We promise them a year's time to set them up with the partner they are looking for," he said.
Mr Samson said that the idea of the portal came up because several of his gay clients, opting for surrogacy services, were visiting India to get their babies where they'd find partners and would like to stay together.
"We have been doing this since last eight years. I have been in international medical tourism and our clients would visit India to take their babies and will fall in love. We'd help them out and were already counselling them on their choice of couples. So we decided why not start a separate portal for them," he said.
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