Putting a success out there as a queer entrepreneur, Mithun Chatterjee had set an example for the next generation that life gets better. With his eccentric and creative ideas that later influenced entrepreneurial endeavors, Mithun Chatterjee has been quietly advancing LGBTQ rights for more than ten years. With a Master’s in Microbiology and Business Administration, Mithun, 38, claims that leaving a promising corporate life was a deliberate choice. Because of the numerous traumas he had at school, college, and even at the office due to his sexuality, he always felt like an outsider. Today, he describes himself as an out and proud gay individual who owns and operates one of South Delhi’s most eccentric cafes, the Terrace Cafe & Wellness, in Saket.
Seeking different perspectives on resilience and being a part of the queer community Mithun Chatterjee came out on top as an entrepreneur and founder of Bellissimo Cafe & Wellness.
Mithun Chatterjee shares how being out and proud fuelled his business ” Because everything back then was so taboo, I was worried how would my parents react if they find out. Truth be told, back then I had no answers to give as an explanation even if we planned to host a party. Comparatively, now the situation seems different”
After the decriminalization of homosexuality judgment, Mithun believes that things are somewhat better, if not in the way we would have preferred. In today’s major cities, there is a strong party culture, and even the clubs are more hospitable and sensitive. He thinks queer entrepreneurs should be encouraged and trained to develop their skill sets since he sees them as the future. He believes that companies can band together in regional clusters to accelerate their expansion and reach. Every business that exists should feel emboldened because it takes a lot of guts to launch a queer business in opposition to the family and society. Consider what it could be like for someone to run a business for the queer community in a country where it took so long for being queer to become acceptable?
“I often considered taking a trip with others when I was employed in Chandigarh, but there wasn’t much opportunity because everything was so secretive. At that point, I sought help from my friends to join me in exchange for a share of the cost.” Mithun Shares
He further adds “I have realized now that with the acceptance of my identity being queer gave me the most powerful weapon to become an entrepreneur. I have become courageous enough to confront all kinds of fear, gave wings to my big dreams, and pushed myself to turn my vision into a reality”
That’s how Mithun Chatterjee embarked on his entrepreneurial journey with HeTravels (A venture for gay group tours) which has so far planned more than 50 tours across the nation. In addition to planning gay men’s excursions and parties, Mithun frequently works with numerous NGOs promoting LGBTQ+ rights to launch campaigns so that it raises public awareness amongst the community.
He now takes pleasure in spending time in his cafeteria and wellness center. He says “It’s more like my extended family with the staff around. I don’t treat our guests as clients but we urge them to feel like their home”.
He recalls the challenging phase in his life that occurred shortly after Bellissimo launched and a lockdown took effect across the nation. Although he had never considered depression to be real, he experienced it then. With everything on the line, he believed that his ability to persevere and recover was due to the trust that people had in him together with the goodwill that he has earned all the years. Today, Bellissimo Cafe & Wellness is one of the most beloved places to hang out in the city where queer people are free to “Eat-Gossip-Network” without being subjected to anyone’s judgment.
In modern times, the notion of discussing sexuality and opening up about it to parents is considered taboo. However, being a part of the LGBTQ community is a natural instinct in human beings. Science demonstrates that being queer is a natural habitat of life and cannot be altered in an individual; therefore, it is crucial for people from different communities to advance in their awareness of queerness. The moment has come for society in the twenty-first century to wake up to the needs of loved ones in the LGBTQ community. It’s high time for society to normalize the fact and accept people for whom they are in the world by simply loving one another.
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