Thirty years after New York’s Stonewall Riots propelled the gay rights movement in America, the oldest Pride parade in South Asia was held in India on 2 July, 1999. The Kolkata Friendship Walk saw 15 people, mostly activists, embark on the march towards queer liberation. They wore yellow T-shirts printed with “Walk on the Rainbow”, marched around Park Circus Maidan and went onwards for meetings with the likes of the AIDS control organisation and the state human rights commission, sharing literature to help build awareness on queer issues. In 2003, the walk returned as the Kolkata Pride Walk with 50 people taking to the streets in what would become an annual parade. It was only in 2008 that other Indian cities participated, with Pride parades being held in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Bhubaneswar and Chennai joined in 2009; Kerala in 2010; Pune in 2011; Guwahati held the first Pride march in the Northeast in 2014. Thousands of queer folk and allies come together every year now, honouring history and community with glamour, glitter and grace. Take a look at this year’s Pride parades held in June around India.
Guwahati Pride
Chennai Pride
Kolkata Pride
Pune Pride
Coimbatore Pride
Delhi Pride
