A 31-year-old Punekar has been working towards creating safe spaces for the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community since the past decade in the country. “I hope to work towards the betterment of the community. That has been my primary focus and I have been taking our initiatives to different cities in India trying to provide a platform for queer art. I have been using these spaces as mediums of sensitisation and awareness of LGBT among the general population of India,” says Shyam Konnur, the managing director of Mist, a LGBT collective. Konnur recently bagged the title of Mr Gay India 2020 in the pageant by the same name that took place between January 23 and 25. Shyam, who hails from Pune, will now be representing India at the Mr Gay World competition which will be held in Africa.