I am an Internal Medicine Specialist with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine and Infectious Diseases, currently consulting in South Bombay. Beyond medicine, I consider myself a fitness enthusiast, gastronome, and an eclectic reader.

As an active member of the Reading Matters Book Club, led by its founder Niraj, I’ve explored literature from across the globe, guided by thematic hashtags and even co-creating new ones such as #augustinsouthamerica (for South American literature) and #stanseptember (for literature from Central Asia). I am a strong advocate for translated and queer literature and an avid participant in the #ReadTheWorld challenge, having read works from 40 countries so far. I also write book reviews on a dedicated blog, alongside another blog where I share food and restaurant experiences. 

Through my dual lens as a physician and a reader, it remains my constant endeavour to revive the lost art of critical thinking and apply it meaningfully to health, literature, and everyday lived experience.

Aishwarya Ayushmaan, also known by their stage name Lush Monsoon, is one of India’s leading drag performers and a human rights lawyer, featured in Amazon Prime Video’s groundbreaking documentary series Rainbow Rishta. Currently, they lead the programmes at Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN), a non-profit organization that facilitates access to housing rights for the most marginalized groups in India. Since 2017, Ayushmaan has performed as a drag artist at notable events and multiple venues across India. Named India’s First Lawyer Drag Queen, their work has been covered in prominent news outlets, including BBC, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and Elle India, among others. They are also the co-founder of Divas Inclusive, a venture that promotes the art of drag in India through curated shows and by supporting emerging artists.

Akassh K Aggarwal, has broken forced norms on gender, sexuality and choice, expressing himself unequivocally on LGBTQIA+ rights. While he is often invited to speak about queer rights and his own life, he, through the power of his heart rendering “LifeStories” has helped many in society identify and confront the biases towards the community.

During many years of his work in Social Empowerment, he has made significant impact through his policy work  in the past with  NHRC, Police Departments and many other Educational Institutions. He represents the voice of the LGBTQIA+ community through his guest appearances in various TV debates and  National Public Events and is a well-known social media influencer. As an accessory  designer, he has worked with various celebrities such as Sushmita Sen, Gauhar khan, Swara Bhaskar, Mandira Bedi, Zeenat Aman and Laxmi  Aggarwal. He has also played an active part in a number of #feminist inspired fashion shows. He is currently running an initiative – #PRIDEINDIA

Alexander Balakrishnan is a model, actor and commentator. He’s shot for Vogue Italia, Paper Magazine, Grazia, and been in ads for Bumble, Tinder, Del Monte, Spotify and more. He’s passionate about literature and can always be seen roaming Delhi with a book in hand.

Ambarish Satwik is a Delhi-based vascular and endovascular surgeon and Director of the Vascular Cath Lab at Sir Ganga Ram hospital and Professor of Vascular Surgery, GRIPMER. He is the author of the critically acclaimed 2007 novel Perineum: Nether Parts of the Empire, a subversive and deviant sexual history of the British Raj. His columns, miscellanies and opinion pieces on a variety of subjects have appeared in many publications, including India Today, The Times of India, Outlook, Open, Tehelka, Time Out and Hindu Business Line.

Ancilla L is an author, erotic writer, sex-and-kink educator and kink-model based in India. She is the founder of Ancillary Kink Support, a platform focused on education in the realm of fetish and sexuality, she teaches classes that are niche, nuanced, intersectional and approach the complexity of sexuality with humanity. She is the bestselling author of “Vignettes of Violence: An erotic autobiography” and “Queerotica: An anthology of erotic short-stories,” as well as several other erotic novels, which have been repeatedly banned in India. In 2023, she launched The Sextbook Initiative through which she writes detailed adaptable guides on specific fetishes, two titles are currently available, “The CNC Sextbook” and “The Masochism Sextbook” and a third, “The Power-Exchange Sextbook” will be released later this year. Ancilla is, foremost, a writer of sexuality and believes erotic writing should be every bit as literary, deep and widespread as a genre.

Anish Gawande is a writer, translator, and politician currently serving as the National Spokesperson for the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar). A Rhodes Scholar, he holds degrees in comparative literature from Columbia University and in intellectual history and public policy from the University of Oxford.

Anish is the founder of Pink List India, the country’s first archive of politicians supporting LGBTQ+ rights, and a recognised advocate for inclusion and equal rights.

As a translator, he has brought the poetry of Ramchandra Siras from Marathi to English. He continues to write and speak on contemporary art and literature, while also curating exhibitions at prominent art galleries across India.

Ankur Paliwal is an independent journalist, and founder and managing editor of queerbeat, a collaborative media venture focused on building public understanding of queerness in India. Before starting queerbeat, Ankur was travelling across India, and east and west Africa covering stories of underreported people and places. He has written many award-winning longform features on science, health and the environment for various publications including the Guardian, Nature and FiftyTwo. He has a master’s degree in science journalism from Columbia University in New York. He lives in New Delhi.

Anureet Watta is a poet, writer, and filmmaker based in New Delhi. They were part of the QueerFrames Screenwriting Lab, supported by Netflix, Goethe-Institut, and the Queer Muslim Project, and presented their dark comedy project Muskuraiye Aap Lucknow Mein Hai at the Berlinale – European Film Market.
Their debut short film Kinaara, made on a phone with a one-person crew, screened at 30 international film festivals, including the Oscar-qualifying Bengaluru International Short Film Festival. It received a Jury Mention for Best Emerging Director at KASHISH Mumbai and won awards such as Best Film on Women’s Issues and Best Screenplay for Experimental Film.
Their second short, Oranges in the Winter Sun, produced by Lotus Visual Productions, screened at the Images Festival (Toronto), Melbourne Queer Film Festival, Fringe! (London), and 30 other festivals.
Anureet is a Writer’s Ink Lab Fellow, where they developed their first feature script Ruli Hui Nazmein, winning the ‘Emerging Voice in Indian Cinema’ award. They have assisted writing on feature films with Faraz Arif Ansari (Sheer Qorma, 2021) and Bun Tikki (Jio Studios), starring Abhay Deol and Shabana Azmi.
They also participated in the ‘Language is a Queer Thing’ fellowship and the BBC’s Contains Strong Language exchange in 2023.

Apinuch Petcharapiracht (also known under the pen name Moonscape) is a Chinese-Thai queer writer fascinated by gothic and fantasy storytelling. She grew up in the peculiar confines of an all-girls boarding school she often describes as a cult, an experience that continues to haunt and inspire her writing.

She is the co-founder of Ladys and Moonscape Books, a small queer press in Thailand. Her works Death and the Maiden and Juveniles and Other Stories have both been published by Penguin SEA.

Arundhati is a writer, cultural practitioner, social activist and traveller. Based in Bangalore with three decades of experience in the arts and culture, she served as the Executive Director of India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) between 2013 and 2023. Her awards include the Global Fundraiser Award from Resource Alliance, Chevening Clore Leadership Award (2015-2016), Chevening Gurukul Scholarship at the London School of Economics (2005-2006), and Salzburg Global Seminar Fellowship. She contributed on advisory panels and boards of the Seagull Foundation for the Arts, Blind with Camera, Sangama and Toto funds the Arts, and continues to do so for The Museum of Art and Photography (MAP), Shomokaleen Protibidhan (a feminist magazine in Bangla), the Solidarity Foundation, and Maraa. She has co-curated the International Theatre Festival of Kerala 2020 organized by Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. 

Arundhati actively volunteers with many citizen initiatives that work towards a just and equitable society. She speaks on arts and philanthropy for leading Indian and international organisations including International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA), Kelola Foundation, On the Move, Festival Academy Europe, UNESCO Berlin, The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC), Kultura Nova Foundation, University of Leeds, Theatre Cooperative Turkey, among others. She writes for publications such as Scroll, The Wire, The Hindu, The Deccan Herald, News 9, Business Standard, etc. A poet in Bangla publishing in little magazines since 2010, her first collection of poetry Oshomoye phire esho nodi hoye was published in January 2023 by Lastrada Prakashan. Her book All Our Loves: Journeys with Polyamory in India has been published by Aleph Book Company in April 2025. She consults and offers training programmes for the cultural and not-for-profit sector. She was raised in Asansol and is based in Bengaluru.

Ashutosh S. Shankar is a Dalit-Queer filmmaker from Pune, India. His work focuses on exploring the intersectionality of queerness and caste, delving into stories that challenge dominant narratives while celebrating marginalized identities. Ashutosh is currently developing his debut feature and was selected for the QueerFrames Screenwriting Lab 2024 featured on Deadline. His writing has appeared in publications such as She Says, Them, and LiveWire. With his debut short Tara and upcoming projects, Ashutosh aims to spotlight stories of angst, dignity, and personal triumphs, pushing for more inclusive and resonant representation in mainstream Indian cinema. Tara had its World Premiere at Frameline LGBTQ+ San Francisco International Film Festival (World’s Longest Running LGBTQ+ Festival). Tara also won the best acting award (to Siya) at the Mumba International Film Festival, Pune.

Ayesha Sood is a New Delhi-based filmmaker with nearly two decades of experience across independent cinema, documentary, and commercial storytelling has since produced a diverse and powerful body of work. Her storytelling spans formats, from the award-winning The Dewarists and Toughest Men in India to the true-crime podcast Trial by Error: The Aarushi Files, the Indian Predator: The Butcher of Delhi, a gripping documentary.

Most recently, she directed In Transit –  a deeply moving documentary series that explores the lives of nine trans and non-binary individuals from across India, capturing their stories of love, identity, and self-expression in a uniquely Indian way.

Bhadra Sinha has been a journalist for over 25 years, with expertise in legal reportage, including establishing and leading the legal beat / desk, planning content for various platforms, and delivering written as well as video content. She currently serves as the Deputy Editor at The Print.

As someone who has covered the legal space for so long, her endeavour has always been to keep the audience updated with the latest rulings that are likely to affect them. She studies every judgement carefully to find the most relevant news-point, and also ensure extensive research into the facts of the case for unbiased reportage. 

Over the years, she has worked with The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, the India Today Group and the Times of India. 

Bhumika Saraswati is an award-winning Indian journalist, photographer, filmmaker and an educator whose work documents lives and narratives often overlooked or erased. Specialising in long-term work, with visual-first approach, she makes nuanced stories more accessible and impactful. Her work centres around gender, caste, climate and health.

Bhumika’s work has garnered both local and international recognition, including the UN-Laadli Media Award for Gender Sensitive Reporting, the Human Rights Press Award and the RedInk Award for Excellence in Indian Journalism. Her writings, photography, and films have been published with the Associated Press, New York Times, The Caravan Magazine, Outlook Magazine, The Hindu newspaper, SCMP Films, and more.

Born into an “untouchables” Dalit household — a community stigmatized as “untouchable” under South Asia’s rigid caste-system. Bhumika’s storytelling is deeply informed by her lived experiences and the resilience of her strong single mother, Gita Rani who raised her single-handedly.

Bhumika is also neurodivergent, living with a mix of anxiety, adult autism (AuDHD) and ADHD, which gives her a unique way of seeing and processing the world. While constant anxiety presents its own challenges, she has learned to harness the creative and analytical strengths of her neurodiversity in her storytelling.

Bhumika is the founder of Kranti Collective, a physical space and collective in Palam Village, Delhi that houses a free public library, Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule Library, and hosts film screenings and co-learning workshops, particularly for children and women from marginalised backgrounds, like her own.

Through her storytelling, Bhumika brings dignity and depth to the lives of those whose histories are often systemically erased.

Bishan Samaddar is an editor and director at Seagull Books (Kolkata and London), and commissioning editor for the Pride List, Seagull’s LGBTQ+ series of books. A regular faculty member at the Seagull School of Publishing, Bishan is also an amateur phone photographer.

Blossom Kochhar has over 35 years of experience in the business of aromas and holds a double doctorate in aromatherapy. While being the chairperson of the Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies, she holds several other positions with different organisations playing a significant role in women empowerment and skill development. 

These include being the Chairperson, Beauty & Wellness Sector Skills Council for the National Skills Development Corporation. She is the co-chairperson for Assocham Empowerment; the co-chairperson, Women Community for PhD Chamber of Commerce and the co-chairperson for the FICCI Skill Development Committee. Additionally, she is the Founder & Chairperson of the Blossom Kochhar College of Creative Arts & Design.

Chittajit Mitra (he/they) is a queer writer, translator and journalist from Allahabad. They co-founded RAQS (Resistive Alliance for Queer Solidarity) in 2017, a queer collective based in the city which focuses on talking about gender, sexuality and mental health in Hindi. They believe in centering queer conversations in Indian languages and politicizing the queer community to fight majoritarianism, casteism and other ills that ails our society.

Ms. Disha Wadekar is an advocate practicing in the Supreme Court of India with a litigation experience of ten years. Her most notable work spans across multiple constitutional matters such as the Sabarimala temple entry case, EWS reservation case and the Hijab case. Ms. Wadekar is an LL.M. graduate from Columbia University, New York and a Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Scholar. 

She has spearheaded petitions in the Indian Supreme Court to prohibit caste-based division of labour in Indian prisons and guidelines to prevent student suicides in higher educational institutions. In 2018, she was the only woman lawyer representing Dalit victims before the Bhima Koregaon Judicial Inquiry Commission. In 2022, she was appointed the Additional Special Public Prosecutor by the Government of Rajasthan in a case involving sexual violence against a Dalit girl, which led to the conviction of the accused after six long years. Additionally, as a litigation associate at Project 39A, she has represented many clients on death row in the Supreme Court of India. As the Standing Counsel for the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and a panel counsel with the Supreme Court Legal Service Committee, she regularly represents clients from marginalised socio-economic backgrounds before the Supreme Court of India. 

Ms. Wadekar has taught courses on Constitutional Law and Critical Caste Studies at the National Law University, Delhi and O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat. In 2021, Ms Wadekar co-founded Community for the Eradication of Discrimination in Education and Employment (CEDE) —an organisation working towards a diverse and inclusive Indian legal profession and the judiciary. Her work has been published in many reputed journals and online portals.

Dolly Singh is a trail-blazing content creator, actor, and storyteller who has redefined digital comedy in India. Widely loved for her iconic characters especially the unforgettable “South Delhi Girl” Dolly blends wit, relatability, and social commentary to create content that resonates with millions.

Currently the face of Colgate Visible White O2, Dolly has collaborated with leading brands such as Maybelline, Samsung, IKEA, Jockey, and TRESemmé, becoming a trusted name for both audiences and brands alike.

Her journey began with a Master’s in Fashion and the launch of her fashion blog Spill the Sass. She later joined iDiva as a writer and stylist, where she discovered her flair for acting by starring in viral videos that catapulted her into the spotlight. Since then, Dolly has expanded her presence across mediums from headlining branded digital video campaigns to starring in movies like Thank You For Coming and Bhaag Beanie Bhaag.

Breaking new ground in digital storytelling, Dolly is the first comedy creator in India to have launched a branded Instagram rom-com series, Best Worst Date, now in its third season.

Recently honoured as “Storyteller of the Year”, Dolly continues to push the boundaries of creativity by experimenting with new formats, original IPs, and immersive narratives  proving that there’s much more to content than just followers and platforms.

Most notably, she became the first Indian creator to win the Instagram Rings Award (2025)  a global recognition from Instagram (Meta), celebrating creators who take creative risks and shape culture in unique ways.

Ekta is a journalist and researcher passionate about exploring the intersectionality of caste, class, gender and religion. With a keen eye for uncovering nuanced narratives, Ekta challenges the traditional notion of objectivity and advocates for a more inclusive and contextual approach to storytelling. Their work delves into the complex layers of systemic inequality and aims to amplify marginalised voices and inspire critical conversations around social justice, human rights and equity. They are currently a staff reporter with Queer Beat Media

Eric Chopra is the founder of Itihāsology, an inclusive platform dedicated to Indian history and art. He is a writer and podcaster who focuses on histories of aesthetics, heritage, emotions, sexuality, and the otherworld. A key aspect of his work is making history accessible and engaging for public discourse.

Gaurav Jagtiani is a fashion designer with over 12 years of experience in the field. He is the Founder and Creator of Linetribe, a brand that produces gender neutral clothing. Reflecting Gaurav’s approach to fashion, design, and  aesthetics, Linetribe takes a silhouette centric path whilst creating collections. Constantly exploring ways of construction/deconstruction and using a spectrum of textiles in the most effective manner technically and ethically, the brand engages with the global community of the future.

It is inherent to the label to question gender, culture and community through a design narrative moving towards a truly inclusive, equal World for all.

Over the years, Gaurav has worked with designers such as Urvashi Kaur and corporations including Amazon India

Gautam (he/they) is an experienced programs and communications professional with over six years in the development sector, specializing in sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice (SRHRJ), as well as LGBTQ+ advocacy. 

Currently, he serves as Senior Manager in the Communications and Brand at Tata Projects. Previously, at Safe Access, he worked to build awareness and train queer-affirmative healthcare providers, while also offering emotional and psychosocial support as a peer support provider to queer-trans* community members. Gautam has also served as Co-Chair and Board Member at TWEET Foundation, where they focused on empowering the transmasculine community through resource building, community development, and providing shelter and peer support. 

Additionally, they contributed as a Co-Investigator with Sangath on the iHearTransMHPrep project, curating medical resources to prepare for future healthcare emergencies. Throughout their career, Gautam remains deeply committed to creating meaningful change in both professional and community-driven spaces.

Hameeda Syed (they/she) is a freelance journalist and the co-founder of Dignity in Difference (DiD), a South Asia–focused nonprofit addressing digital violence. At DiD, they co-design research, advocacy, and training initiatives with gender minorities to build safer digital ecosystems, shifting both platform cultures and the systems that shape them. As a writer, Hameeda explores justice, power, and identity in long-form articles, feminist analysis, and fiction, featured on platforms like The Third Eye and Newslaundry.

Harish Iyer is one of India’s most influential voices for justice, inclusion, and radical empathy. Named to The Guardian’s Pride Power List of the 100 most influential LGBTQ+ people globally, Harish has reshaped public discourse through landmark legal battles—challenging Section 377, petitioning for marriage equality, and fighting for the right of queer individuals to donate blood. Harish has stood in the witness box to testify in pivotal cases and filed police complaints with fearless resolve, often at great personal risk.

Two acclaimed films—I Am and Amen—have been based on Harish’s life. Harish’s story is also featured in a global children’s book celebrating 53 queer heroes, placing him alongside icons who have transformed the world with courage and authenticity.

With over a hundred published articles and talks delivered at premier colleges across India, Harish has pioneered Axis Bank’s DE&I curriculum—embedding equity into the heart of future leadership. In 2021, Harish led the launch of ComeAsYouAre—India’s first comprehensive queer banking initiative—making Axis Bank a trailblazer in inclusive finance.

Though not a trained counsellor, Harish has been a trusted peer supporter for survivors of child sexual abuse and those navigating identity, offering presence, listening, and solidarity. Above all, Harish is an animal welfare crusader—fiercely protective of every sentient life and committed to compassion that transcends borders, binaries, and species.

Hash Brownie is a prominent Indian drag performer, stylist, makeup artist, and entrepreneur. Celebrated for her heartwarming ballad performances and quintessential drag aesthetic, she has been featured in leading media outlets including GQ India, Cosmopolitan, Vogue India, ScoopWhoop, and India Times. In addition to her work as a performer, she is the founder of Infinity Makeovers and Wigs by Infinity, an online venture specializing in high-quality human hair wigs.

Hasina Khan is a Mumbai-based activist championing the cause of gender justice for Muslim women and other minorities. She is the founder of the Bebaak Collective, an association of grassroots activists and autonomous women’s groups formed in 2013 to  fight  against  discrimination,  communalism  and  hate  speech.  In her activism, Hasina’s focus is on two fronts –  legal  reform  and  the  personal  struggles  of  Gender against  discrimination.  She emphasizes the importance of feminist participation in building consensus around issues  that  affect  them.  From  offering  support  to  gender  in  crises,  to  building education  and employment opportunities, as well as creating spaces for women to experience joy, Hasina has advocated for the rights of women to live with dignity and respect and make their voices heard. She has been part of feminist movements for over three decades.

Janki is a host and facilitator who believes in the power of storytelling and making safe spaces for uncomfortable topics and emotions.

Jaya Sharma is a feminist, queer, kinky activist and writer who divides her time between Goa and New Delhi. As part of a feminist NGO she worked on issues of gender and education for over twenty years, during which she was intensively involved in sexuality trainings for groups working with rural women. As a queer activist she has co-founded and been involved with queer forums in Delhi, including the coalition Voices Against 377. 

She is also one of the founder members of the Kinky Collective, a group that aims to raise awareness about Bondage Domination Sado Masochism and to strengthen the community from within.  Currently her writing seeks to explore sexuality and politics through the lens of the psyche.

Kass directs the growth and development of We.’s APAC region, including the agency’s business and operations in China with We. Red Bridge. He also leads We.’s global partner and affiliate agency program and oversees We. company Codeword, based in the U.S. 

Kass previously worked at leading global agencies including Wunderman, FCB, DDB and TBWA Chiat/Day before joining  We. in 2015. For clients in more than 40 countries, he’s led teams that have earned Cannes Lions, Effies, ADDYs, Webbys, DMAs, and PRWeek and PRovoke Awards.

Kass is a board member and mentor for The LAGRANT Foundation, promoting greater racial diversity and career opportunities in the PR and communications industry. He was previously a board member for the PR Council, where he continues to provide counsel and support. He also supports amateur athletics in the Pacific Northwest through his membership in the WAC 101 Club.

I’m Katyayini, and I create content around politics, sociology, feminism, and philosophy on my Instagram and YouTube. In my day job, I fight digital authoritarianism at Internet Freedom Foundation. I research, write, perform and edit all my content by myself. My primary platform is Instagram (@katyayinisaksham), where I engage a politically conscious Indian audience.

Kaushik Ray (he/him) is a lawyer and a filmmaker.  He is partner in, and head of global strategy for, a boutique international law firm headquartered in London, where he specialises in the financing of infrastructure projects in least-developed countries.

Kaushik also runs a film production company (www.tarantantra.com) focussing on LGBTQ+ content from South Asia, with a particular focus on stories about intersectional prejudice in minority communities. Kaushik has co-produced three short films.  His first film, “Muhafiz” / “The Protector” premiered at BFI Flare, Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ film festival and has been selected in competition at a number of other prestigious festivals around the world.  His second film, “Gair” / “The Outsider” premiered in May 2022 at the NY Indian Film Festival. His third short, the self-penned “The Lime Green Shirt” stars Lilette Dubey and traveled to festivals around the world, winning several awards (for music, direction and acting) and securing a spot on the BAFTA long-list for Best British Film 2025. Kaushik’s first feature film as producer, “Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears)” won the Grand Jury Prize for World Dramatic Cinema at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in 2025 and has had a theatrical run in cinemas in India and the US.  Kaushik’s upcoming feature as writer/director, entitled “A Life A Rose” is set to shoot in 2026.

For many years Kaushik wrote a regular column for GQ India called “Urban Nomad”, detailing his stories and anecdotes as a global “man about town”, focussing on lifestyle, fashion, art, architecture and culture.  The magazine had a readership of over 100,000 in-print subscribers per month.  Kaushik has written for the Financial Times and regularly writes for Huffington Post UK in respect of Eurovision and other aspects of pop culture.  He is the co-author and editor of four professional books relating to the development of the power sector and renewable energy in emerging markets.  Kaushik has sat on the board of numerous arts and dance charities and retains a keen interest in the arts globally.

Khushwant is a resident of a very small village in Delhi, belonging to a Dalit family that speaks Haryanvi. He recently completed his MA Geography and MA Urban Studies. At this point, he is pursuing a  Bachelor’s degree in Education and MA Social Work. He is a contributor to the critically acclaimed zine, Across the Nala.  His endeavor to teach queer children who feel excluded in school. He wishes to help them learn how to be self-confident and how to love themselves.

Madhav and Anand are queer couple living in New Delhi. Anand is 42 years old Chartered Accountant working in a German MNC while Madhav is 23 years old aspiring writer. With an age difference of almost 19 years, the couple have faced not just homophobia but marginalisation within the community itself.

Madhavi Menon is Professor of English and Director of the Centre for Studies in Gender and Sexuality at Ashoka University. She is the author of 5 books on queer theory, and is currently at work on her new book titled Love in the Moonlight: Sufism, Sexuality, Shakespeare.

Manak is a feminist, queer activist and has been a friend, facilitator and agony auntyji in over 18 years of work to build young people’s reflective leadership of personal and social change. His work builds capacities of individual leaders and organisations to shift norms and systems towards power sharing and pleasure politics particularly in the areas of gender, sexuality, masculinities, health and inclusion. He was born and raised in Delhi and continues to learn about queerness, movement building, activism, dating, sex, friendships and love of all kinds in the city.

Manavi Khurana is a counselling psychologist with over 12 years of experience working with adolescents and adults through an intersectional and trauma-informed lens. As the Founder and Chief Counselling Psychologist at Karma Care, she focuses on queer mental health, sexuality, and relationship well-being. Her practice draws from person-centred and narrative approaches that emphasize care, consent, and agency. With extensive experience in sexuality and trauma work, Manavi brings a nuanced understanding of psychological processes surrounding consent and sexual assault, and the ways in which individuals navigate recovery, boundaries, and mental health in these contexts

Mayura Saavi is an Ambedkarite, genderfluid-queer media professional working at the intersections of gender, caste, culture, and cinema. They are part of the Media Team at Mariwala Health Initiative (MHI), focusing on narratives around mental health and social justice. With a Master’s in Media and Cultural Studies from TISS, Mumbai, their work spans journalism, film, teaching, and digital storytelling. They co-founded the Equity Media Collective, promoting media literacy and equitable representation of marginalised communities in Indian media. Their ongoing independent project, Lights Camera Women, is a digital series exploring the gendered gaze and the politics of portrayal in Indian cinema, using storytelling and social inquiry as tools for reflection and resistance.

Mohua Chinappa is an award-winning author, podcast host, storyteller, and speaker whose work spans literature, media, and advocacy. She is the creator and host of The Mohua Show, a podcast that brings to life stories from across India, and The Literature Lounge, a space dedicated to authors and books. With over 4.5 million plus downloads and 400+ episodes, Mohua’s podcasts celebrate inspiring voices and lesser-known narratives of resilience, ambition and change that often don’t make the headlines.

Her latest book, Thorns in My Quilt (Rupa Publications), is a deeply personal exploration of grief and resilience through letters to her late father. Her other works include If Only It Were Spring Everyday, Dragonflies of My Dreams (Emily Dickinson Award winner), and Nautanki Saala and Other Stories, which won the PVLF Best Debut Award and was launched by Shatrughan Sinha. The book’s Hindi rights were acquired by Prabhat Prakashan.

A sought-after speaker, Mohua has spoken on prestigious platforms like TEDx and Josh Talks, addressing themes such as creativity, gender equality, and personal growth. She is also a prolific writer, contributing to leading publications like News18, Firstpost, Outlook Weekender, Deccan Herald, and SheThePeople, covering culture, social issues, and industry trends. Her dedication to impactful storytelling extends to filmmaking, with contributions to The Election Commission Film, Karnataka 2019.

As she continues to champion powerful narratives, Mohua remains deeply committed to her mission of storytelling, advocacy, and fostering global connections.

Neha Vermani is a historian of early modern South Asia, particularly the Mughal empire and its entanglements with the wider Persianate and Indian Ocean worlds. Her research focuses on the intersections between the history of food practices, material culture, and science, and explores the themes of self-fashioning, affect, and production of knowledge and artefacts. Her work has appeared in a number of peer-reviewed journals, edited book volumes, magazines, and newspapers. She received her PhD from the University of London, followed by a Mellon Foundation funded postdoctoral fellowship at Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington D.C. & the British Academy funded postdoctoral Newton international fellowship at the University of Sheffield, UK. Neha is currently an honorary fellow at the University of Sheffield and Durham University, UK.

Nikhil Taneja is a Mumbai-based entrepreneur, writer, producer, storyteller, teacher, public speaker and mental health advocate. He’s the co-founder and CEO of Yuvaa, a purpose-driven youth media, research and impact organisation that works on creating socially conscious content and starting meaningful conversations among and about Indian youth, particularly on mental health and gender. He has travelled with Yuvaa to over 30 Indian cities and over 100 campuses to talk on storytelling, mental health and gender sensitivity.

Nikhil also serves on the Global Advisory Board of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations’ event and community, Goalkeepers and is among 10 people in the world selected for this position. Goalkeepers is a community of emerging and established leaders from across the world that work on accelerating progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. He won the Goalkeepers Youth Action Accelerator Award in 2019 for his work on documenting the mental health and identity issues of India’s Gen Z.

Having been in the Indian media & entertainment industry for over decade now, Nikhil has been responsible for the biggest hits in the digital space at Y-Films (including Bang Baaja Baaraat), the youth wing of Yash Raj Films, where he headed development & production and was part of the team that won the Cannes Grand Prix Glass Lion in 2016 for The 6 Pack Band. He has previously been with Viacom18 Digital, MTV India & Hindustan Times, but has found most joy in teaching at Jai Hind College for over seven years.

Since 2018, he is the Festival Creative Director of the India Film Project, India’s largest youth film festival, that gets a footfall of over 10,000 people and has over 50 conversations with the biggest youth Icons of India including Ayushmann Khurrana, Vicky Kaushal, Bhuvan Bam, Prajakta Koli, Mithila Palkar, and many more. He has also been a consultant on Girl Effect, a Nike-Powered international non-profit, is a TV critic on 94.3 Radio One, and hosted a YouTube show for Film Companion called ‘The Awesome TV Show’. He works across film, digital, TV, advertising, print, radio and teaching in any capacity that gives him happiness and meaning.

Nikhil consults and advises on content, youth and gives workshops & talks on storytelling & mental health across India, in campuses and in corporate organisations. He is always looking for opportunities to consult, teach, give talks/workshops & work on youth, storytelling, mental health and impact.

Oat Montien (b. 1989) (he/him/they/them) is among Thailand’s most prominent queer artists. Montien was born in Bangkok, where his mother ran a successful brothel. Growing up around sex workers, he managed the lighting for their erotic shows. This experience is manifested in his works where he uses eroticism as poetic allegory for the complex experience of marginalized identities. His works span across various media including writing, drawing, moving image, site specific installation and performance

In 2022, he was selected as the first Southeast Asian artist for the residency programme at the iconic Tom of Finland Foundation (LA). Montien also founded the Boddhisattava Gallery, the first art gallery in Bangkok exclusively dedicated to South East Asian queer artists. 

In 2025 he also won “Pride Value Artist of the Year” award by Bangkok Pride for his contribution to the Thai art and activism scene.

Currently serving as a Councillor in JNU students’ union, Pakiz is a PhD student in Centre for Philosophy. Their thesis focuses on Identity and Narrativity in the context of queerness. 

They are a strong advocate for queer-trans rights within campuses.

Parvati Sharma has written two historical biographies, Jahangir: An Intimate Portrait of a Great Mughal and Akbar of Hindustan. She has also written history for children, The Story of Babur and Rattu & Poorie’s Adventures in History: 1857. Her debut was a collection of short stories called The Dead Camel and Other Stories of Love, followed by a novella, Close to Home. Parvati writes on books and history for various publications, and has been a jurist for several literary awards.

Prachi Gangwani is a psychotherapist and an author. She has written for publications such as iDiva, The Swaddle, and DailyO, and has authored two books – a romance novel titled Crazy Little Thing Called Love, and a non-fiction title, Dear Men: Masculinity & Modern Love in MeToo India. Her last editorial role was as the Head of Editorial at being, an app that published bite-sized self-help content written by qualified mental health professionals. At present, Prachi practices full-time and works with individuals and couples of all genders, aged between 25 and 60.

Puja Talwar is a broadcast journalist with over three decades of experience. Formerly the Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor at NDTV, she now hosts her own show and writes for leading national and international publications on cinema, lifestyle, travel and culture.

R Raj Rao obtained his PhD in English from the University of Bombay in 1986, and received the Nehru Centenary British Fellowship for postdoctoral research at the Centre for Caribbean Studies, University of Warwick, UK, in 1990.

In 1996, Rao was invited as a writer-in-residence to the International Writing Program, University of Iowa, USA, one of the world’s finest writing programs. Rao’s other fellowships include the Quebec-India Fellowship of Concordia University, Montreal, Canada (2008) and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations’ Rotating India Chair Fellowship at Tubingen University, Germany (2016). 

Rao has written six collections of poetry, Slide Show, BomGay, For Hire, The Canada Album, National Anthem and Other Poems and Hybristophilia. BomGay has served as the basis of the late Riyad Wadia’s much-acclaimed short uncensored film, BomGay, with Bollywood star Rahul Bose in the lead. The film was most recently screened at Barbican as part of the London International Film Festival on 25th June 2022. Rao’s poems also appear in The Harper Collins Book of English Poetry, Dance of the Peacock, The World That Belongs to Us, The Lie of the Land, Converse: Contemporary English Poetry by Indians and The Penguin Book of Poems on the Indian City.

Rao’s fiction includes two collections of short stories, One Day I Locked My Flat in Soul City, also translated into Italian; and Crocodile Tears: New and Selected Stories; as well as five novels, The Boyfriend, Hostel Room 131, Lady Lolita’s Lover, Madam, Give Me My Sex, and Mahmud and Ayaz. The Boyfriend has been translated into Italian and French, and has been optioned for a motion picture with international collaboration. Rao’s fiction has appeared in the anthologies, Yaraana: Gay Writing from India; Out: Stories from the New Queer India; Vox 2: Seven Stories, and in the New York crime fiction series, Mumbai Noir, as well as (in Hebrew translation) in House Call: Contemporary Indian Stories. His Collected Stories is due out from Speaking Tiger later this year.

Rao has written a collection of plays, The Wisest Fool on Earth and Other Plays, and a recent collection titled The Wisest Fool on Earth: Ten Street Plays and Three Monologues. The title play, The Wisest Fool on Earth has been visually enacted in New York City and performed in English and Hindi at Prithvi Theatre, Bombay; Holiday Inn, Pune; and Lamakan, Hyderabad. One of the unperformed monologues in the book is a controversial political stand-up, titled Stand Up and Be Counted.

Rao’s nonfiction includes three major books, Nissim Ezekiel: The Authorized Biography; Whistling in the Dark: Twenty Five Queer Interviews, co-edited with Dibyajyoti Sarma; and Criminal Love: Theory and Praxis of Queerness in India. Then there’s a train memoir, titled Train Addiction: Travels Through India by Train. Rao’s nonfiction also includes hundreds of uncollected scholarly articles, book reviews, newspaper and magazine features, interviews, travelogues and weekly and fortnightly columns, in online publications such as Scroll.in and The Wire.in; and in print publications such as The Times of India, Indian Express, The Hindu, Frontline and The Caravan, as well as in international journals and anthologies. Criminal Love won the Likho Book Award for Excellence in Media, while one of Rao’s queer-related op-ed articles as well as his novel Mahmud and Ayaz were short-listed for the Rainbow Awards in 2023 and 2024.

As a co-translator from Marathi, Rao’s work appears in Poisoned Bread: Translations from Modern Marathi Dalit Literature; in a collection of essays by the noted Marathi writer Vilas Sarang; and in the US-based online journal Words Without Borders. His co-translation of the book Me Hijra Me Laxmi by Laxmi Narayan Tripathi was published by Oxford University Press in 2015. His co-translations of Varavara Rao’s poems from the Telugu have appeared in Kavya Bharati (print) and Bengaluru Review (online).

Rao has given readings from his work in London, New York, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo, Milan, Barcelona, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Montreal, Toronto, Rio de Janeiro, Dhaka and Colombo among other world cities, as well as all over India. He has been a visiting professor at Dresden University, Germany; Tubingen University, Germany; and Concordia University, Canada. He has been an invited speaker to all the world’s G7 countries, namely the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Japan. 

Rao has been a panelist at the Jaipur Literature Festival and at literature festivals in Bombay, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Goa, Lucknow, Shillong and Bangalore. 

Rao’s work as a poet and writer has been discussed in various scholarly books. These include: Forbidden Sex/Forbidden Text: New India’s Gay Poets (Routledge); The Phobic and the Erotic: The Politics of Sexuality in Contemporary India (Seagull Books); Modern Indian Poetry in English (Oxford University Press);  Indian English Literature 1980-2000 (Pencraft International); Same Sex Desire in India: Representations in Literature and Film (Palgrave-Macmillan, UK); Gay Icons of India (Pan-Macmillan); and Reading India Now: Contemporary Formations in Literature and Popular Culture (Orient Blackswan). 

Several videos of Rao, giving interviews and reading from his work, including a Project Bolo interview, a TEDx talk, and a public lecture at the Nehru Memorial Museum, New Delhi, as well as webinars given during the corona virus lockdown, may be found on YouTube.

Rao is former Professor and Head of the Department of English at the S. P. Pune University, India, where he taught Creative Writing and Queer Studies for over a decade, and Indian Writing in English for nearly 30 years. He is currently a visiting professor at Symbiosis College of Arts & Commerce, Pune; and (till 2023) at Nalanda International University, Rajgir, Bihar.

Ravi Bhatnagar is an accomplished public health advocate and corporate affairs leader with nearly two decades of experience shaping high-impact communication strategies, policy interventions, and purpose-driven partnerships across global markets. He currently serves as Director – Corporate Communications & Corporate Affairs for South Asia, MENARP (Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan), and Africa at Reckitt, a role in which he leads strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and public affairs across some of the company’s most critical growth regions.

Since joining Reckitt in 2015, Ravi has been instrumental in building and scaling flagship public health initiatives that have become national and international benchmarks. His leadership has strengthened Reckitt’s purpose-led agenda through impactful programmes such as Dettol Banega Swasth India, Durex The Birds and Bees Talk, Mission Swacchata aur Pani, and Mortein’s Mission Zero Malaria. These initiatives have collectively advanced community health outcomes, fostered behaviour change, and reinforced Reckitt’s commitment to building a cleaner, healthier world.

Ravi’s professional journey spans influential roles at The World Bank, Clinton Health Access Initiative, Population Services International (PSI), and ADRA, where he contributed to public health systems strengthening across India, Nigeria, and Haiti. His work has supported missions under the G7 and BRICS frameworks, reflecting international recognition for his ability to drive large-scale, collaborative health interventions.

A passionate believer in communication as a catalyst for societal change, Ravi continues to champion initiatives that blend purpose, policy, and people-centric storytelling. His expanded mandate at Reckitt underscores the company’s commitment to strengthening stakeholder relationships and driving impact across global markets through trusted, effective, and responsible communication.

Riju is a trans* feminist practitioner, gender justice activist, education practitioner, writer, group facilitator, and tarot reader. She envisions centering care and belonging in every space she holds. Her body of work focuses on creating safer learning spaces for marginalized young people, enabling them to access knowledge, skills, opportunities, and support within a system of care. Her practice is deeply informed by a decade of engagement with communities across India and by her lived experience of navigating the world as a trans* person. As a writer, she documents her own journeys of pleasure, desire, and sexuality as a trans woman, weaving personal narratives with collective wisdom to make visible the intimate and political dimensions of trans existence. She practices tarot as a tool of reflection, healing, and joy, a way of imagining and affirming the many realities of trans* life.

Rio has pursued an MBA at IIM Kashipur  and completed his undergraduate studies in Economics from Miranda House College, University of Delhi where he also served as the President of the first ever formal Queer Collective of Delhi University-Miranda House Queer Collective. 

He is passionate about inclusivity and equity and actively believes in advocacy for Mental health and LGBTQIA+ rights.

A lover of the feline world, and with the idea of a just and equitable living, he continues to keep his existence radical.

Ritu Shree is a Psychologist and a Dance/movement therapist (R-DMT). She has been working in the field of child, adolescent and youth mental health for over 15 years. She works with children with developmental difficulties, parents and neurodivergent individuals. Her doctoral research was on kinesthetic attunement and parent-child relationship that explored the powers of dance, play and attunement. 

Ritu believes in the power of art, body and nature to help one look inward and understand the deeper intricacies of our existence. She has been training and supervising psychologists, creative art therapists, counsellors, and professionals working in the field of mental health.

She is the Executive Founding Board of the Indian Association of Dance Movement Therapy and also served as a faculty for the Creative Movement Therapy Association of India.

Rituparna is a queer feminist and indigenous activist living with disabilities, as well as a prominent voice in the LGBTQIA+ community. With over 18 years of experience advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights, she co-founded and serves as the Executive Director of Nazariya: A Queer Feminist Resource Group.

Rituparna has contributed significantly to POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment), DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), and gender and sexuality initiatives. She has also served on advisory boards for organizations and programs such as LBQ Connect of Outright Action International, and Rainbow Lit Fest. As an experienced trainer and peer counsellor, she has developed curricula and chapters for several educational institutions.

Rudrani Chhetri is a prominent Indian transgender activist, actor, model, and entrepreneur based in Delhi. She is a leading figure in advocating for the rights and visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community in India. 

In 2005, she co-founded the Mitr Trust. The trust focuses on sexual and reproductive health, HIV / STI prevention and provides a shelter home (Garima Greh) for the transgender community. 

A decade later, Rudrani founded BOLD, India’s first transgender modelling agency. A model herself, having done calendar shoots, she has additionally acted in short films, music videos and had a significant role in the Neena Gupta starrer, The Last Colour (2020). 

Rudrani represents India at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and is a member of the IGLTA. She is also a member of the NHRC Core Group on LGBTI issues.

Rumi Harish is gay trans masculine person. He has been working in the field of social justice and human rights of various marginalised communities like contract based sanitation workers union, transgenders, queers and sex workers for the last 26 years. He started learning Hindustani classical music at the age of 6 and learnt under 8 Gurus all over India like Late Pandit Ramarao Naik, Pandit Yeshwant Bua Joshi, Pandit Dattatreya Garud, Pandit Indhudhar Nirody, Panditha Aditi Upadhya, Panditha Shubhra Guha,  Pandith Sudhindra Bhowmick, Late Pandit Rajeev Taranath. He is now going through his voice transition and is trying out a new way of singing and use of voice. He has written 4 plays called Sanchari, Liberty Begum, A Journey A to E, and recently performed “Shar In The Khakhi Room”. He focused on crisis intervention and worked with Sunil Mohan for 20 years. Along with Sunil Mohan he has written articles and reports and presently working in Alternative Law Forum as research consultant on Anti discrimination study from 11 years. Presently he is focusing on developing the regional cultural aspects of queer and trans communities through arts, music, dance and theatre. A book of his autobiography has been written and composed by the well known poet and writer Dadapeer Jyman in Kannada called Jaunpuri Khayal in 2023. This is probably the first autobiographical account of a trans masculine person in India. His collection of poetry on gender transition, love, voice and music was published as “Aa Chachida Kaigalu” by Kaudi Prakashana in 2024. Rumi Harish has also received the Karnataka State literature award called Sahitya Shree for the year 2023 for his contribution of writing columns and poetry. 

He was recently featured in In Transit streaming in Amazon Prime directed by Ayesha Sood and produced by Tiger Baby Productions. He is also featured in a book called The Call of Music written by Priya Purushottaman on Hindustani Classical Musicians.

Sandip Roy is an author, columnist, and podcaster based in Kolkata. He hosts The Sandip Roy Show for Indian Express, and his columns appear in Mint Lounge, The Hindu, The Times of India, and other publications. His work has also been featured in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, National Public Radio, BBC, Economic Times, and various anthologies such as Cat People, Queer View Mirror, Out! Stories from the New Queer India, The Phobic and the Erotic, and New California Writing 2011. Sandip was the longtime editor of Trikone, the first South Asian LGBTQ magazine. His award-winning debut novel is Don’t Let Him Know.

An alumnus of AFMC Pune, he has the distinction of being the first Consultant Administration of the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), India. He received training in Pediatrics from Army Hospital R&R, Delhi and completed his Masters in Management Studies from Osmania University. Commanded two Air Force Hospitals and represented the AFMS in international fora. He coordinated National and International Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief operations. He was awarded “Commendation by the Chief of Air Staff” in 2013.

He is a proud parent of a Transgender woman and an active member of “Sweekar: The Rainbow Parents”, a parent support group for LGBTQAI+ persons. He is the Founding Director and CEO of “Association for Transgender Health in India (ATHI)”. As a member of the advisory committee of – Transgender Empowerment Board of Delhi, he contributed towards the formulation of the Transgender Persons Protection of Rights Act 2019 and Rules 2020. He petitioned the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), Government of NCT of Delhi, to pass an Order for the prevention of sex assignment surgeries on intersex children. He was instrumental in the formulation of the first “Indian Standards of Care” for delivery of Transgender Healthcare- ISOC1, and two online certificate courses on Gender Education namely the Introductory course for Medical, Paramedical, Nursing and Ancillary staff of Healthcare Facilities under the ”Gender Friendly Healthcare Facility Initiative (GFHFI)” and the Introductory course for Teachers, Educationists, Parents and Students under the “Gender Friendly Educational Institute Initiative (GFEII)”. He has been appointed as a member of the Technical Working Group for the Transgender specific Integrated Service Delivery package in NACP (National AIDS Control Programme). He has co- authored a White Paper on Comprehensive Health-related Services for Transgender Persons brought out by the National AIDS Control Organization, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. He is also a member of the Technical Resource Group (TRG) for interventions among Transgenders/Hijra persons under NACP phase V, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.

He served as Board Member-at-large of World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) from January 2020 to December 2024. Recipient of the prestigious WPATH 2022 Harry Benjamin Distinguished Education Award, he is currently the Co-chair for the International Diversification and Membership outreach Committee of WPATH and the WPATH Book Club.

He has been appointed as a member of the Guideline Development Group

(GDG) by the World Health Organization for the formulation of the first WHO

Guidelines on the health of trans and gender-diverse people.

Saptarshi Bairagi is a Dalit-Trans-Queer-Kothi anthropologist and ethnographer based in New Delhi, currently pursuing a PhD in Anthropology at the University of Delhi, India. Their work focuses on intersectional subaltern gender and sexuality studies, with a strong emphasis on experiential ethnography, decolonial vernacular feminist theory, and the lived experiences of marginalized queer communities in rural and urban South Asia. 

As a first-generation learner from a remote village near the India-Bangladesh border, Saptarshi’s academic and activist journey has been shaped by resilience and a commitment to amplifying voices often excluded from mainstream queer and academic discourse. They are associated with different grassroots queer collectives or organisations, and their writing blends personal narratives with critical theory to challenge patriarchy and caste-based exclusions in both scholarly and activist spaces. They are also the Co-Chair and Social Media Manager of the IUAES Scientific Commission on Human Rights.

Dr. Satendra Singh is a doctor with a disability at UCMS & GTB Hospital, Delhi, and a passionate ally of the LGBTQIA+ community.

In 2024, the Supreme Court of India celebrated him as one of the nation’s “shining sons” who overcame adversity. In 2025, the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) honoured him with the Public Health Champion Award for reframing disability from a medical issue to a human rights issue and for influencing policies, & curricula, across India and globally.

From hospital rooms to courtrooms, from policy tables to polling booths, his journey tells a single story: that of a determined change-maker redefining dignity, access, and justice for millions.

Along with Dr. Aqsa and Dr. Sharma, he successfully petitioned the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) to ban unnecessary surgeries on intersex children.

After studying physics at St Stephens College in Delhi, Saurabh Kirpal read law at the University of Oxford and did his Masters in law at the University of Cambridge. He did a brief stint working with the United Nations in Geneva before returning to Delhi. 

There he has been practicing at the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court and has been designated as a Senior Advocate by a unanimous Court. He has appeared in a range of matters covering a diverse range of subjects from commercial to constitutional law.

He was the counsel for Navtej Johar, Keshav Suri and others in the case that led to the reading down of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. He also argued the case seeking recognition of same sex marriage before the Supreme Court. A self-described ‘accidental activist’ he also is the managing trustee of the Naz Foundation Trust, the NGO that first fought for decriminalization of homosexuality in India.

He is editor of ‘Sex and the Supreme Court’, an anthology about issues relating to law, gender and sexuality and has also authored the books ‘Fifteen judgments: Cases that shaped India’s financial landscape’ and ‘Who is equal: The Equality Code of the Constitution’.

Shahana Goswami is a versatile Indian actress with a career spanning 20 years, she has acted in over 35 projects in India and internationally. Known for her roles in Rock On!!! , Firaaq, A Suitable Boy, Bombay Begums, Zwigato and most recently Santosh, Shahana has made her presence felt. She has won a number of awards for her performances both in India and internationally, and has worked in films in four different languages and from different parts of the world. Having lived in Paris for 4 years in the middle, Shahana is currently based out of Mumbai, India.

Sharif is an author, curator, workplace inclusion and communications consultant and singer-songwriter. He is the author of the critically acclaimed books Straight to Normal: My Life as a Gay Man (2019) and Queersapien (2022). 

A TEDx speaker, Sharif has addressed numerous global and local forums on communications, inclusion and multiculturalism. He is also the frontman of Friends of Linger. His band’s track, ‘Head Held High’ is India’s first dedication to the LGBTQIA+ community. 

A believer that communications through discussions, talks, art, literature and music are key to influencing change, he brings together over 30 years of experience in the fields of journalism, research, PR and image management in all he does. He has worked with organizations such as The Pioneer and The Economic Times in the media, and was the CEO and, later, chairman of Integral PR. Under his leadership the firm rose to the top 250 in the world! During this period, he led the PRCAI for over two terms and was on the ICCO board as well.

Sharif has been on the PR Week Global Power List (2015) and was IPRCCA PR Person of the Year (2013). He was also recognised by Exchange4Media as amongst the top 100 communications influencers for the year 2024. 

As the Founder, Dwijen Dinanath Arts Foundation, he is using all his beliefs in creating various platforms such as the award-winning, Rainbow Lit Fest – Queer & Inclusive; the Rainbow Awards for Literature & Journalism; Embrace: Music Justice Arts; The Main Screen and Art Ist Queer.

Sharmistha manages the Social Impact and Healthcare practice at Avian WE. She has over 21 years of experience enabling programmes that drive behavioural change and issue-based outcomes in public health, education, climate action, and human rights. Over the years, her work has involved strong engagement with private sector organisations, social institutions, philanthropies, and patient safety bodies to build programmes that promote trust and action. Along with her team, she has worked on initiatives around inclusive language, neurodiversity, blood safety, skilling, disaster-resilient infrastructure financing, nutrition, women in agriculture and health, and Hep C–HIV co-infections.

She is committed to contributing to the creation of an ecosystem that advances DEI efforts, especially around equal rights, and opportunities in the workplace. She also has a keen interest in India’s rich cultural heritage, particularly from the Northeast, and aims to support artisans in gaining visibility and sustainable livelihoods. Sharmistha is also the mother of a 12-year-old daughter.

Shelja Sen is a narrative family therapist who has worked across contexts, including India and the UK, over the past 30 years. She is the co-founder of Children First, an organisation that works with children, youth and their families and networks.

Shelja is a columnist with the Indian Express and an author of three critically acclaimed books – All You Need is Love, Imagine and  Reclaim Your Life. She is a Clinical Tutor at the University of Melbourne and an international faculty at Dulwich Centre Foundation, Adelaide. She is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Narrative Therapy & Community Work.  She is still learning and hopes to have many adventures in life. She is committed to building culturally aligned ethical practices, weaving in the intersectional lens, social justice and innovation.

Sam and his partner’s story began back in 2005, when they met in school through Sam’s sister. What started with playful fights soon turned into a deep friendship and, over time, something far more meaningful. As they navigated their identities and the challenges of acceptance, their bond only grew stronger.

From discovering the Transman Collective to finding hope in community and awareness, they stood by each other through every phase — from confusion and fear to clarity and courage. In December 2021, after years of shared growth and resilience, they got married in a temple ceremony. Their love, grounded in understanding and mutual respect, later earned the blessing of family, and in 2023, they celebrated their union with a reception surrounded by support.

Today, Sam and his partner dream of adopting a child and building a life filled with love, laughter, and authenticity — proving that true love transcends identity and endures beyond societal expectations.

A Senior Certified Coach with nearly 30 years and 1000+ hours of experience as an Executive Coach, Corporate Trainer, Media Educator, Podcaster and Presenter/EMCEE. He is recognized as one of India’s first Coming Out Coaches.

A former NDTV news editor and TV anchor, Shivraj brings decades of real-time insight from interviewing global leaders and covering landmark events. He has interviewed world leaders including Kofi Annan, Vladimir Putin, Benazir Bhutto, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and Jack Straw, while covering defining moments like 9/11, the Iraq War, and the Indo-US Nuclear Deal. His journalism background—built on asking the right questions and drawing out authentic stories—informs his unique approach to coaching and facilitation, focused on unearthing accounts of courage, resilience, and authentic self-expression.

Shivraj has facilitated coaching and training initiatives at organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), Micronutrient Initiative, SAP India, Sequoia Capital, Helion Ventures, Hyundai India, Conduent Systems, Infosys, McKinsey, CISCO, and the Indian Leadership Academy, among others.

Shivraj draws on his own journey of discovery at professional and personal crossroads to fuel his professional practice. It is built on the premise that we all sometimes need an ally to discover our best version and plan to thrive against any odds.

An avid podcaster and content curator, Shivraj helps overwhelmed entities curate and produce thought leadership content, giving brands a wider berth to tell their stories through podcast hosting and production. His shows include “Live & Learn with Shivraj Parshad,” “Word to the W.I.S.E.,” “A Sublime Life,” and “The Nutrition Story Podcast”.

As both a presenter and EMCEE, Shivraj brings warmth, authenticity, and sharp interviewing skills to every platform—whether anchoring intimate conversations or hosting celebratory events that honor achievement and progress.

Shravani Bolage (she/they) is a queer Bahujan person born and brought up in a small town in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. I am an urban practitioner and a lawyer by training, and I have been working in the development sector for over three years. I write in Marathi on themes of caste, gender, sexuality, politics, and more. I am currently working on housing rights.

Therapist through the day, and stand-up comedian by the evening, Shruti makes a living by making people laugh out loud and cry it all out. Trained in drama and movement therapy, from the world’s Ftop drama school: The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, UK, Shruti combines the depth of her training in mental health with the playfulness of stand-up comedy in all her offerings. Using comedy as a tool to create a space for queer stories to breathe in India, she founded QueerProv, which is an improv theatre space for all queer and women identifying individuals. Emboldened by her empathy and wit, she adapts her content to the audience’s sensibilities and, as a queer mental health professional, brings a fresh perspective to both  the Indian comedy scene and  mental health field. In the year 2024 Shruti’s comedy received major recognition as she was listed in India’s top 10 upcoming comics by a leading stand up comedy magazine, Deadant. 

As a drama-therapist, they specialise in working with queer/trans individuals and training healthcare professionals to be queer affirmative through uniquely designed embodied-experiential-play based workshops. Shruti has a particular interest in mythopoetic approaches to trauma and has contributed a chapter ‘The Harmless Ghost: A Mythopoetic Approach to Trauma’ for the book ‘Trauma and Embodied Healing in Dramatherapy: Theory, Practice and Research’  published by Routledge, UK.

Sindhu Rajasekaran is a transgressor of genres. Her debut novel Kaleidoscopic Reflections was nominated for the Crossword Book Award. She has published a collection of short stories, So I Let It Be, and a critically acclaimed book of non-fiction, Smashing the Patriarchy. Her poetry has appeared in reputed literary magazines and anthologies. Sindhu has a PhD in Creative.

Writing from the University of Strathclyde, where she was a recipient of the Dean’s Global Research Award. She is Curatrix at The Subjective Space.

Siya Malasi is an Indian model and actress known for breaking barriers in fashion and film. She gained national attention on MTV Supermodel of the Year Season 2 and starred in Netflix’s Rana Naidu. Her lead performance in the short film Tara earned her the Best Actress Award, celebrating her powerful portrayal and authenticity. Siya also featured in Starbucks India’s viral #ItStartsWithYourName campaign, becoming a strong voice for transgender visibility and inclusion in mainstream media.

Sonal Giani is a leading advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, gender inclusion, and social justice, with over eighteen years of experience in activism, policy advocacy, and capacity building. She has played a pivotal role in amplifying queer voices across South Asia and shaping inclusive policies within organizations.

A former board member of UNAIDS, Sonal has contributed to global conversations on gender and LGBTQIA+ inclusion, influencing policies and advocacy efforts at an international level. 

Her work has been recognized with multiple awards, including the ‘Diversity Leadership Award’ by the World HRD Conference and the ‘Queero’ Award by Six Degrees, an LGBTQ Growth Network celebrating her contributions to social change.

Beyond policy and activism, Sonal has made significant media appearances, including being featured in ZEE TV’s prime-time television show Connected Hum Tum. She has been featured in Femina, Cosmopolitan, The Better India, Firstpost, and other media platforms for her impact on the queer rights movement. She has also worked on mainstream entertainment projects, including casting and advisory roles in films and web series centered on LGBTQIA+ narratives.

With a deep commitment to equity and empowerment, Sonal continues to mentor young changemakers and drive intersectional inclusion in leadership, workplaces, and cultural spaces.

We are an out and proud gay couple living and loving in Bengaluru with our beautiful and a little unique family which we are extremely proud of. We have been together for the last more than 13 years now having met over a same sex dating website way back in 2012. Today, we are socially married and are fathers to our 4 babies- our son and daughter and our 2 furry babies. At a time when families are becoming more and more nuclear, we are extremely blessed that we have our parents (both the sets) living with us as well representing what can be a true epitome of love and acceptance. 

We are two regular boys who grew up in small town India in the early 90s in two middle class Bengali and Punjabi families. Growing up we knew we were different but lacked reference points which could help us navigate our lives through our differences. So today when life has given us this opportunity, we try to give that to others through our digital content which as we say is “All about love and family” and also being physically available for causes which are special and close to us.

Professionally, Sougata is the Vice President-Business with one of the biggest ecommerce companies of India and Mayank is an SAP consultant with an IT MNC. Personally, we are just two regular guys who are in love who are trying to live an authentic life with our family and friends.

Sruti (they/them) is a Master’s student pursuing Conflict Analysis and Peace Building at Jamia Millia Islamia. They are a poet and a researcher studying gender and conflict, grassroots movements, human rights and displacement amongst others through a queer feminist lens and imagination. Along with their comrades, they run the Jamia Queer Collective that is currently active at the university, aiming to center ethics of love, community and care through their work.

Sudipta Das (they/them) is a dalit-queer nonbinary feminist writer and communications expert with experience of working on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), queer rights, and child rights. Sudipta enjoys writing on key issues such as caste, queerness, health, gender-based violence, love, and culture. As a freelance writer & reporter, they have contributed to multiple publications, producing opinion and narrative journalistic pieces. Much of their writing is deeply rooted in the narratives of those directly affected by social inequalities, aiming to offer insights into the complexities of social justice in South Asian contexts.

Suhail Abbasi is a media professional with over 30 years of experience across print, films, television, theatre and digital platforms. He holds a Master’s degree in Visual Communication from IDC, IIT Bombay. In 1990, he co-founded Bombay Dost – India’s first registered LGBTQIA+ magazine. He is also the Co-Founder & Chairperson of The Humsafar Trust – India’s first registered organization working on health and human rights of LGBTQ+ community since 1994. He was one of the petitioners in the fight against Sec 377. Suhail has been a mentor for budding journalists and film-makers through various initiatives. Suhail also works as a ‘proud and out’ independent media professional. He has propagated diversity and inclusion in many corporations he has worked with. He has written, produced & directed several short films around LGBTQ+ themes.

Suhani (They/She/He): an Architect by profession, dancer, nature explorer and queer event organiser by passion. Over the years they have worked hard to create more safe spaces for LBT+ folks through Queer Gully, facing difficulties as a nonbinary person themselves.

Sukanya is a Director at Khaitan & Co (KCO). She used to practice corporate law in India and US before transitioning to law firm management in 2019. She manages the corporate practice of the firm and Delhi NCR offices’ strategic growth. She was part of the team that started ARISE, KCO’s DEI initiative, six years ago. She was previously a Fulbright fellow at Harvard Law School.

Sunil Mohan, a trans man, was Kerala State Women’s team Cricket Captain. He came to Bangalore, completed his Electrical Diploma and started working in Sangama, an NGO working for the rights of sexual minorities. He also worked with Samvada in the program Game For Change training two corporation colleges’ women’s teams. Fed up with that kind of NGO work, he started working independently on his research through community consultation process under the fellowship of Alternative Law Forum and published a report called “Towards Gender Inclusivity” in the year 2013. He has worked on Oral history video documentation of LGBTI people across south India with the fellowship of CCDS Open Space, Pune called “Expressions of the Oppressed Voices”, in the year 2011-12. He along with Rumi Harish started a study on Discrimination at Alternative Law Forum (ALF) and have written a report called Conversations on Caste Discrimination in South India along with advocates in ALF after conducting 95 conversations across South India. Sunil was an active member in the first Migratory LBT group in India and also started Raahi, an organization working for the rights of marginalized genders and sexualities in the year 2018 which he left. He got the Mirrors fellowship from Maraa, a media and arts collective in Bangalore and wrote his book “Your Stick Cannot Break My Strength”, a political memoir. He has won the South Asian level Kamala Bhasin Award for his work on crisis intervention in the field of marginalized sexualities and genders for 23 years.

Suvir Saran is not just a chef. He is a poet of the palate, a steward of storytelling, and a bridge between the ancient and the avant-garde. Born in New Delhi, where the air is thick with spice and scripture, Saran’s journey has taken him across continents and consciousnesses—collecting memories, magnifying flavors, and mentoring futures.

As Culinary Director of True Palate Hospitality, he leads one of the most dynamic restaurant portfolios in the world. From One 8 Commune—a global culinary vision with Virat Kohli—to Neuma in Mumbai (and soon Delhi and Calcutta), created with Karan Johar; from Jolene in the carefree soul of Goa’s Anjuna to the boundary-crossing Pincode concept, Saran is not just curating menus—he’s creating movements. His kitchens are sanctuaries of discipline and discovery. He mentors greedily, eats hungrily, and leads with a vision that blends nostalgia with nuance.

His culinary legend began in New York, where he co-founded Devi, the first Indian restaurant in the U.S. to earn a Michelin star. With that single star, he lit a thousand others—making space at the global table for the complexity, elegance, and soul of Indian cuisine. 

Yet, his legacy lies as much in his language as in his ladle. A prolific writer and cultural commentator, Saran pens Slice of Life for The Indian Express, one of the publication’s most widely read and emotionally resonant columns. He also writesThe Soft Boil for Open Magazine—a simmering blend of memoir, critique, and cultural reflection—and contributes frequently to ANI News, where his writing is syndicated widely. His monthly column in Hello! Magazine reflects on luxury, hospitality, travel, and the poetry of place. His voice moves between the public and the personal with ease—equal parts tenderness and truth.

Saran’s first three books were all celebrated cookbooks. His debut, Indian Home Cooking, has sold nearly a quarter of a million copies and counting—welcoming countless readers into the soulful simplicity of Indian flavors. His second, American Masala, introduced his philosophy of blending cultures, ideas, and spices to American audiences—laying the foundation for today’s widespread embrace of multicultural cooking and inclusive hospitality. His third, Masala Farm, was both a cookbook and a memoir—chronicling his life at American Masala Farm in Hebron, New York, a rural retreat nestled three hours from Montreal and four from Manhattan. There, he and his partner raised hundreds of animals with deep care, collecting eggs and sheared fiber to cook, knit, and live in harmony with nature’s rhythm. It was a home of healing, of sustenance, of storytelling—and of unfiltered joy.

In 2025 alone, Saran completed nine new books (a glimpse below):

• A memoir, acquired by Penguin India and due for release in December 2025, tracing his life as a gay Indian man navigating exile, love, longing, and layered identities across decades and continents.
• A novel, a globe-trotting, gastronomic meditation on heartbreak, desire, redemption, and finding home in the ruins of what once was.
• Five non-fiction works—each a meditation on poetry, love, loss, longing, silence, disengagement, healing, and reawakening. These are not manuals or manifestos but open wounds wrapped in wisdom—books that speak softly yet strike deeply.

His earlier book Instamatic—his fourth—was born in silence. Created during a period of legal blindness and near-total physical stillness, it brought together his photographs and whispered thoughts, offering a haunting, hallowed map of survival.

Saran is also the host of The Suvir Saran Show, produced under the *Screen banner of The Indian Express, aligning him with the editorial and artistic legacy of the Screen Awards. The podcast, distributed via Spotify and YouTube, features intimate, intelligent, and indelible conversations with poets, performers, politicians, public thinkers, and quiet revolutionaries. Several episodes have gone viral, cementing the show as one of India’s most authentic and soul-stirring platforms for long-form dialogue.

In 2025, Saran served as a jury member for the prestigious AutHer Awards, honoring women’s excellence in writing. His role on the panel was not merely ceremonial—it was philosophical. He brings to every table a rare reverence for language, emotion, and impact.

That reverence began in childhood. As a schoolboy, Saran was the undefeated champion of Sanskrit recitation—an honor that led him to the Gita, the Upanishads, and the expansive ocean of Vedantic philosophy. Guided by a grandmother who understood these texts with feeling, and a mother who has studied them for over forty years, Saran learned to see the world through the lens of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the idea that all the world is one family. From Sanskrit’s sacred geometry to the emotional elegance of Hindi, and the layered lyricism of Urdu ghazals and nazms, he found in language both a mirror and a map. It is this deep, multilingual relationship with meaning that anchors his voice—in prose, in podcasts, and in person.

Saran is also a frequent contributor to Harper’s Bazaar, a lifelong student of classical Indian vocal music, and a multidisciplinary artist. Two of his digital works were selected for The Art of India exhibition curated by Dr. Alka Pande for The Times of India, showcased in Mumbai and Delhi.

With over six million Instagram followers, Saran speaks to the world—but never from a pedestal. He has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Time Magazine, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Forbes, National Geographic, India Today, The Hindu, Times of India, Spice, GQ India, Harper’s Bazaar India, and many others. His television appearances include The Martha Stewart Show, Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef America, MasterChef India, CBS Sunday Morning, and The Next Iron Chef.

Even while living with chronic pain and blurred vision, he chooses presence over pity. Work is his medicine. Gratitude his prayer. Mentorship his mission. “I mentor not because I know everything,” he says, “but because it keeps me learning. Young minds remind me what the future needs—and what I still have to give.”

After three decades in New York, he now lives between Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, and Goa, gathering inspiration from each city’s rhythm, riot, and roar. He continues to build homes—not just of brick and mortar, but of memory, music, meaning, and meals.

Whether through his words, his food, his teachings, or his stillness, Suvir Saran embodies a rare alchemy—turning life’s losses into language, its longings into lessons, and its loves into legacies.

One story, one sentence, one spoonful at a time.

Tanishq Chaudhary is a Delhi-based actor with five years of theatre and screen experience. Trained through NSD’s TIE program and celebrated for his role of Gangaram in Raj and DK’s Netflix hit ‘Guns and Gulaabs’, he has played memorable roles in projects like TVF’s Very Paarivarik, Netflix’s Glory, Dada Lakhmichand (Feku) and the upcoming feature Deeva. His work spans films, series, commercials, and children’s programming (Maya Ka Magic Box, Gali Gali Sim Sim). Tanishq has also voiced multiple campaigns for the Delhi government and continues to build a versatile career across genres.

Dr. Umang Kochhar is a practicing psychiatrist in Delhi. He passed out from Gauhati Medical College, Assam. Apart from doing his PG in Psychiatry, he has also done his MBA (Healthcare Administration) from Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), University of Delhi. He is a double gold medalist. He has worked with WHO (World Health Organization), with UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) and has been a National Consultant for Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Nirman Bhavan as also for Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Shastri Bhavan, Government of India.

He has conducted several workshops for different organizations including HT Pace foundation, UNICEF, UNDP, ILO, NACO, Indian Medical Association, NCERT, Delhi SCERT, Nehru Yuva Kendra, CARE India, IPDP, Applied Research International, Sanjivini Society for mental health, ASER (subsidiary of Pratham), Adpushup, etc. He has also written a book on Medical Emergencies for Applied Research International.

He runs two clinics in Delhi, at M block, Greater Kailash 1 (SCI International Hospital) and at Faridabad, Sec 20. 

In 2016, he started “Inner Horizons – Center for Inner Development”, which conducts workshops on various topics for Corporates, NGOs, and various other for profit and not for profit organizations.

Urvashi Butalia co-founded Kali for Women in 1984 and, in 2003, Zubaan. With over 50 years of experience in feminist and independent publishing, she has a formidable reputation in the industry in India and abroad. She also has a long involvement in the women’s movement in India, and is a well-known writer, both in academia and in the literary world. She has several works to her credit, key among which is her path-breaking study of Partition, The Other Side of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India, which won the Oral History Book Association Award and the Nikkei Asia Award for Culture. She has also taught publishing for over 20 years. She has received many awards, among which are the Pandora award for women’s publishing, the French Chevalier des Artes et des Lettres and the Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian honours awarded by the Indian government.

Vaivab Das is a PhD scholar at IIT Delhi and a Fulbright Nehru Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. They research at the intersections of gender, sexuality, elections and bureaucracy. As a student, Vaivab has actively worked towards the recognition of diverse gender and sexual minorities as protected categories, building gender-affirming infrastructures, and creating community spaces for LGBTQIA+ students in various educational institutions. They are also the co-founder of the LGBTQIA+ rights watchdog page, Yes, We Exist (India).

Vani Viswanathan loves telling stories and is a feminist and has managed to make a career bringing both together. She enjoys working on and learning about sexuality education, feminist leadership and self and collective care. As Co-Lead at TARSHI, Vani focuses on TARSHI’s programmes related to resource creation, narrative building, and towards Safe, Inclusive, Self-Affirming social sector workplaces.

Vikram Kolmannskog is a queer man of dual heritage with a Gujarati mother and a Norwegian father. He is a full professor at the Norwegian Gestalt Institute, psychotherapist, mindfulness teacher and writer. Much of his work revolves around queerness, mental health, human rights, the erotic and spirituality. He is the author of several books, the first of which is “The Empty Chair: Tales from Gestalt Therapy” and most recently “Plum Village: A Mindfulness Retreat Memoir”.

Vivek is the founder and the Artistic Director of New Delhi based theatre company Scene Stealers.  He has directed several theatre productions such as Delhirious!, Let There Be Love, God of Carnage, No Room For Love, Funny Money, Duet for Three, Don’t Dress For Dinner, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), An Absolute Turkey, Rumours, Identities, Strictly Dandiya. Vivek co-directed the musical The Chorus Line and produced the musical Much Ado About Nautanki and Seven Steps Around The Fire.

His acting credits include productions of Delhirious!, Animals Out Of Paper, The Perfect Evening, Lend Me A Tenor, Art, Tara, Bravely Fought The Queen, William Shakespeare’s Othello : A Play in Black and White (which won the Edinburgh Fringe First in 1999), O Come Bulky Stomach, Habeas Corpus,  Antigone, Six Degrees of Separation, It’s All About Sex Honey, A Perfect Evening, Plan in Peril.

For theatre with children he has adapted and co-directed musicals such as Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, The Wiz, Nutcracker, The Sound of Music. He wrote and co-directed the original plays Major Hype and the Magic Hoopla, Bhangra on the Moon, SNAP! The Musical and Theatre Express. 

Vivek made his screen debut in the film In Othello and played cameos in the films Dil Dosti etc. and Axone.  He has worked with The Action Players, India’s only deaf theatre company, as voicing actor. He has performed in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Edinburgh, London, Cairo, Bonn, Harare and Taipei.

Vivek has conducted workshops in theatre for schools, colleges and media institutions. He has done voiceovers for film, television, commercials and audio books. He has conceptualized and directed several launch events for corporates. 

Vivek headed the British Council’s Scholarships division, then served as Director of the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program. Following his role as Director Arts, India at the British Council, he is currently the India Head of the Institute of International Education.

Yash Sharma is the Founder of the Official Humans of Queer. A gender non-conforming, first-generation learner from Delhi, Yash is dedicated to queer advocacy, storytelling, and sexual health awareness. Growing up with limited access to resources and safe spaces, they navigated significant challenges in understanding their queer identity.

While studying Zoology at Kirori Mal College, Delhi University, Yash began exploring queer spaces and advocacy, later strengthening this work with an MA in Social Work (2021–2023). In 2020, they founded @officialhumansofqueer (OHOQ), a digital storytelling platform that has grown into a leading voice for LGBTQIA+ narratives in India.

They have also held leadership roles at Impulse New Delhi, where they promoted sexual health and queer inclusion. Recognized nationally and globally, Yash has featured as part of the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 (2024) in Social Impact, The Diana Award (2024), Girl Up India’s Champion of Change (2023), and the LIKHO Award by The Humsafar Trust (2023).

Through OHOQ and their advocacy, Yash continues to amplify authentic queer voices, focusing on the lived realities of men who have sex with men (MSM) and people with penises, using storytelling as a tool for change.

As part of the team at the Festival, he ‘shadows’ the Festival direct with whom he works closely on critical aspects such as content curation and identifying talent within the LGBTQIA+ community. He solely handles experiential elements such as the curation of stalls and the volunteer programme.

Zena Sagar is an India-based impact producer and one of the country’s first trans women in producing, coming from a Dalit background. She works at the intersection of storytelling, culture, and impact. Part of Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute, Kolkata’s Producing for Film & Television program, Zena’a debut short as a producer, TARA, a short film exploring a Dalit trans woman’s journey through Mumbai’s dating world, navigating caste and queer identity. Directed by Ashutosh S. Shankar, TARA premiered at the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival and continues its festival and impact circuit. The film is an independent UK/USA/India collaboration backed by Neeraj Churi (Lotus Visual Productions) and Rita Meher of Tasveer, along with Ish Maini. At the core of Zena’s practice is the belief that storytelling is both an art form and an instrument of change through authentic representation and authorship in media. She works to accelerate media for impact and cultural transformation. Alongside Producing, she is developing her practice as a creator through visual art, performances & music. 

Zoya (they/them) is a seasoned professional in the areas of diversity and inclusion, marketing – retail and digital. Zoya leads diversity and inclusion and employer branding at Godrej Properties, where they have been instrumental in shaping the company’s policies and practices to ensure an inclusive and diverse work environment. Throughout their career, Zoya has worked across multiple sectors such as BFSI, consumer goods and now real estate.