The LGBT community in India celebrated this Thursday, with joy and emotion, the decriminalization of homosexuality by the supreme court of this nation, the second most populated on the planet, which is a historic step towards equality of the rights of its citizens.
Throughout this South Asian country of 1,250 million people, groups dressed in rainbow colors burst into tears and embraced after reading the opinion of the highest judicial body of the country.
At the Lalit Hotel in New Delhi, a luxury establishment owned by a well-known gay activist, employees celebrated the news in a room performing a choreography of the song "Scream & Shout" by will.i.am, an AFP journalist found.
In a unanimous decision, the five Thursdays of the Supreme Court considered an old article that condemns sexual relations between people of the same sex unconstitutional.
This provision "had become a weapon of harassment against the LGBT community," said the president of the Supreme Court, Dipak Misra.
According to the Indian penal code, dating from the British colonial era, homosexuality could be punished with life imprisonment. But, in fact, convictions for same-sex relationships were very rare.
Headquartered in New Delhi, the company opened its first hotel here in 1988 under the dynamic leadership of Founder Chairman Mr. Lalit Suri, who spearheaded the Group’s unprecedented expansion plans.
Rapid expansion and consolidation of its leadership position continues under the enterprising stewardship of Dr. Jyotsna Suri, who took over as Chairperson & Managing Director in 2006.
All hotels within the group operated under the brand The Grand – Hotels, Palaces & Resorts. It was re-branded as ‘The LaLiT’ on November 19, 2008 as a tribute to the company’s Founder Chairman Mr. Lalit Suri.
The company offers twelve luxury Hotels, Places & Resorts and two mid market segment hotels under The LaLiT Traveller brand offering 2261 rooms.
