A 91-year-old Indian “sexpert,” whose popular Mumbai Mirror column has drawn both fans and critics with its straight-talking approach, is providing a lifeline to readers in what remains a conservative society lacking in proper sex Education.
"If men can have fun, why can’t we?":
And although most of his queries still come from men, Mahinder Watsa said more women are now seeking his daily dose of advice in the Mumbai Mirror. “When I first started writing ‘Ask the Sexpert,’ almost none of the letters I received were from women. But now it’s around 30 percent,” said Watsa, India’s leading sexologist, who gets about 80 queries a day. “At the beginning, women weren’t so frank, but now they are expressing themselves in ways that they never used to. Women are becoming more open and saying, ‘Well if men can have fun, why can’t we also,’ ” he added.
"Straight talk but not a dirty talk":
An obstetrician and gynecologist by profession, Watsa has enlightened and entertained readers in India’s financial capital for over a decade with words of wisdom that are often funny as well as informative. His matter-of-fact approach, including using words such as “vagina” and “penis” instead of common euphemisms, has helped to fill a void in a country where sex education is controversial and often non-existent
Caring, Sarcastic and Witty:
People who read it are more knowledgeable about sex, which is very wise because you can get into a lot of trouble,” Watsa said, referring to the risk of unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases. He takes a caring tone with women’s concerns but is renowned for his witty and sometimes sarcastic replies to certain readers’ queries. He also doesn’t hesitate to give short shrift to some, particularly men asking how they can prove a wife-to-be has not had sex before. “My family is demanding that I get married. How can I ascertain if the girl is a virgin?” read one question. Watsa replied: “I suggest you don’t get married. Unless you appoint detectives, there is no way to find out. Spare any poor girl of your suspicious mind.”“Sometimes you have to be a little harsh in how you say it and make them feel a little angry with you,” Watsa explained. “When they feel angry they start thinking and when they start thinking they start to improve.”
