Pune Pride March To Highlight LGBTIQ Inclusion In Education Institutes

Organised by Yutak Charitable Trust, the 12th LGBTIQA Pune Pride Walk will be held tomorrow (June 2). This year's theme is "LGBTIQ Inclusion in Education Institutes".

The march will begin at 4:30pm from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Garden on Jangali Maharaj Road. Proceeding straight from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Garden, the march will turn right towards Fergusson College Road, walking the entire length of the road before turning left onto Shirole Road and returning to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Garden by 6:30pm.

The march will commence with Anil Ukarande, founder of Yutak Charitable Trust and organiser of the march, delivering his welcoming remarks. Participants will then pay their respects to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule, Fatima Sheikh, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, and RD Karve. There will also be a collective recitation of the Preamble of the Constitution of India. Dr Renu Naidu, Assistant Professor and Chairperson of the Equal Opportunity Cell at Shankarrao Chavan Law College, will serve as the grand marshal of the march, with Protyush Borgohain, IT Director at Kohler Co, as the co-grand marshal. The march will conclude with a collective recital of the song “Hum Honge Kaamyaab”.

Regarding the objective of this year's march, Ukarande stated in a release, "We will express our gratitude towards the honourable Supreme Court because, on 17th September 2023, it recognised the right to marry for transgender persons. We will also express our gratitude towards the Maharashtra government, which on 15th March 2024, passed a Government Resolution to enable transgender persons to study in Universities and Higher Education Institutions from the coming academic year and Higher education to be provided free of charge to them."