ETSU Students Interview Royals of India at WorldPride Celebration

At the Pride Exhibit of the Rainbow History Project in Washington, D.C., ETSU students and faculty were filming B-roll for their documentary on NLGJA (the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association), the association of LGBTQ+ journalists. Addison Ragland, a senior Media and Communication student assisting with the documentary, walked into the opportunity of a lifetime.

Ragland, who focuses on radio, TV and film studies, had never interviewed someone until this day. It was June 5, a beautiful day at the WorldPride celebration. With thousands in attendance, the day brought a massive human rights celebration.

WorldPride has a vital role to play in bringing together people from different countries and backgrounds to speak out in favor of those who seek justice, equity, peace and freedom. Additionally, they stand against bigotry, hatred, divisiveness, discrimination, homophobia and transphobia. The celebration includes programming and events.

Media and Communication Adjunct Professor Matt Rossetti was approached by a lady who goes by Sister Dr. Jenna. She asked Ragland if she was a journalist and followed up her question with, “This is the first openly gay prince of India and I would love for you to interview him.”

Before her, in royal garb, stood Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of India. Gohil and his husband Prince deAndre Richardson, Duke of Hanumanteshwar agreed to an interview for the documentary. The princes were on a human rights tour spanning across the country, working with influential leaders to expand global equality and social justice.

They shared their Human Rights Advocacy tour has been a “profound experience.”

“From rural towns to major cities, we’ve seen the power of visibility and the urgency of storytelling. Our recent participation in World Pride reminded us that global solidarity is not just symbolic — it is essential. As India still grapples with legal and social barriers around same-sex marriage, and as the U.S. faces its own waves of legislative backlash, our message has remained clear: love is not a crime, and dignity should never be denied,” the Princes said in an email statement.

With the help of fellow MCOM journalism student Sophia Cerbo, Ragland began the interview.

Manvendra was born in Ajmer to Maharana Raghubir Singh, who became Maharana of Rajpipla in 1963. After India ended official recognition of royal titles in 1971, the family’s Rajvant Palace was converted into a resort. Manvendra was raised in a traditional, conservative household and educated at Bombay Scottish School and Amrutben Jivanlal College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai.

Their talk for the documentary was brief but filled with kind words and encouragement. Gohil and Richardson are both advocates for the LGBTQ+ community. They spoke of compassion and bravery as well as being strong in what you believe. They emphasized that people are people, no matter their sexual orientation.

“This is the kind of opportunity everyone should have,” said Ragland. “It opens your world so much more and it can create empathy because people are different than you.”

Ragland, a Knoxville native, noted how much she learned by venturing to a new place with a diverse set of people. She said, “People are so insightful and you can learn so much if you just listen.”

June, a month dedicated to celebrating and recognizing the accomplishments and continued progress of the LGBTQ+ community, was beautifully encapsulated by the meeting of Gohil and Richardson. The team’s work on the documentary will continue in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Palm Springs over the summer under the facilitation of MCOM Journalism Program Head Assistant Professor Senta Scarborough.

In a follow-up email, the Princes expressed their gratitude to Addison and Scarborough.

“Meeting Addison was an absolute joy. Her curiosity, kindness, and professionalism created a warm and welcoming space that allowed us to speak from the heart. As storytellers ourselves, we recognize how powerful it is when someone listens with both empathy and intention — Addison did exactly that. Her questions reflected a deep understanding of our journey, and we are so proud to have had that moment captured as part of her growing body of work,” the Princes said in a statement.

Crown Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil and Prince deAndre, Duke of Hamumanteshwar (Contributed/https://thegayroyals.com/)

They added, “It was truly a pleasure for us to connect with Addison—her professionalism, warmth and insightful questions left a lasting impression,” the email read.

With many more experiences yet to come, Ragland has already learned an important lesson.

“Just have empathy is the bottom line. It is so important in all aspects of life,” she said.