A year on, LGBT match-making app has 8K registered profiles

Sameer Seerjeesh, founder of Umeed app and Vanya Foundation — an NGO working for the welfare of transgender community, started the app in 2019. The service is offered free of cost

A year after its inception, Umeed Matrimony, an application that facilitates match-making for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community across India, have registered more than 8,000 profiles and matched over 100 couples, according to the founders. While the LGBT community is yet to get equal marriage rights, it hasn’t deterred the community members from finding a right partner.

While consensual same sex relationships has been decriminalised in the country, same sex marriages are still not recognised. (Pic for representation)

Sameer Seerjeesh, founder of Umeed app and Vanya Foundation — an NGO working for the welfare of transgender community, started the app in 2019. The service is offered free of cost to everyone.

Seerjeesh, a resident of Mira Road, said, “Usually we see the community being neglected in the society, but the time is changing. We created Umeed as a platform for the LBGT community to find their match. It is not a dating app, but for likeminded people to get together and explore potential relationships.”

While consensual same sex relationships has been decriminalised in the country, same sex marriages are still not recognised.

Seerjeesh started the app after he found there is no such app for the LBGT community. “We found that there are some agencies who help these people find a match. However, they charge a huge fee for the same. We developed an entire app at an affordable price and launched it for free for the community.”

Speaking about the journey of the app, he said it had a slow start as they had to first make a database and also know if the community is interested in such a service. He added that it later gained momentum.

He added, “We promoted the app through different events held for the community and managed to enrol 500 profiles before we launched it. We have helped around 100 couples find their match through the app in the past one year. They might not enjoy the same rights as other couples, but all of them are happy. We also follow up with all those who uninstall the app to know the reason and 90% told us they found a match. The remaining 10% go through failed relations, though have assured to retry the app.”

More than 50% people do not prefer to upload their photos on the app. However, this situation too will gradually change, said Sreejesh.

On the topic that these couples do not get the benefits of marriage under the law, he said, “The court might have decriminalised relations between same sex couples but these couple still cannot get their marriage registered nor get any documentation for the same. They can avail personal or home loans on joint account, however do not enjoy other legal rights. There are many activists who are fighting for the cause and we believe the scenario will change.”

The app is also getting profiles from Thailand, South Africa and Philippines with more than 30 profiles from foreign countries.

A 30-year-old marketing executive from Nagpur, who joined the app, said, “I was not aware that there are so many people like me in my community. The app helped me find the right match.”

Rekha Thakur, secretary of Vanaya foundation, added, “We have been undertaking many educational, cultural and social initiatives for the LGBT community, especially transgender people. We provide them education and means of employment. Umeed regularly works with us in these initiatives and approached us last year with the idea of the app. We loved the idea as we know of many people who spend a lonely life, and helped Sreejesh by promoting the app through our programmes.”

Case Studies

A 30-year-old Ghatkopar resident, who works with a private airline, said his family was forcing him to get married. “I was scared to tell them that my interest is different. They knew it but were not ready to accept it,” he said. After the Umeed app was launched, he approached his sister. “I asked her to go through the profiles and choose a match for me so that I can live with a person my family also likes. They grudgingly choose one person and I also got along with him. Not we are married and happy. Though there are still some issues with the families, we have managed to work around them.”

A 25-year-old boy from Orissa who came to Mumbai in search of job said, “Staying in a rural village in Orissa, I was not aware about my identity till I came to Mumbai. I was a constant target of joke for everyone in my village. But Mumbai is completely different where people know each other and respect the community. The app is just helping hand for me and I am happy that I will get my life partner soon,” he said.