Pune welcomed Pride Month with groups of the queer community coming together to organize the annual Pride Parade from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Garden, marching through JM Road and FC Road on Sunday evening. The event was organized by different groups affiliated with the LGBTQ+ community to sensitize the larger community to ensure equitable treatment, social inclusion, and dignity of queer individuals residing in Pune.
The Pride Parade was a bold assertion of community rights with volunteers carrying the Pride Flag, Dhol Pathak, and placards depicting messages of equality, sense of belonging, acceptance of diversity, hope, and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community.
Suhas, a member of the queer community, recounted, “I was not that confident when I came to know about my sexual orientation. When I became part of the Pride Movement, I realized that there were many people like me. I became more confident, started socializing with them, and found people who could understand me, without need to what I am not.” The sense of belonging with the Pride Community made me realize that there is no pride in not accepting who truly I am."
The most impressive part of the parade was the Dhol Pathak, dressed elegantly in traditional Pathak outfits, playing dhol and tasha with infectious energy. The Dhol Pathak was followed by a march with a big rainbow Pride Flag, stretched across the streets, carried by members of the community, singing and shouting Pride slogans. Suchith, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, said that the objective behind the parade is to make the larger community understand the diversity of human society and an assertion that constitutional values of equality, justice, and human rights also apply equally to the LGBTQ+ community.
Tumcha Amacha same asta
The queer community flaunted their identity with extravagant outfits, striking makeup, and catchy slogans—for instance, Prem Manhaje Prem Asta, Tumcha Amacha same asta (Love is Love, it’s ours or mine). The placards at the march were creatively written and decorated, and many took the opportunity to freely express their sense of what Pride means to them. Anil, a member of the Mist Foundation and one of the organizers, told the FPJ, “Pride means living my life to the fullest, without being a victim of stereotypes and judgments.”
"There is a need for greater sensitization among people about the queer community’s rights; this can start with reorienting the academic syllabus. The reproduction chapter, taught in the early days of biology, should be supplemented by sex education and information on different sexual orientations of individuals, which will go a long way in sensitizing individuals at an early age. We can only spread awareness, but to change mindsets, it requires a slew of measures that involve a legal, social, and cultural approach,” Anil said.
4th parade in city
"This is the fourth time the Pride Parade has been successfully organized in Pune; we cordially thank the Pune Police for cooperating and coordinating to help us organize such a mega parade. The Pune Pride Parade 2025 reaffirmed Pune’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity, with organizers planning to make next year’s event grander and bolder," a participant at the parade remarked.
