Ashok Row Kavi and LGBTQ+ Movement in India
Ashok Row Kavi is one of the
prominent LGBTQ+ activists in India. He is a crusader for the rights of LGBTQ+
community.
He was born in the city of Bombay, (now Mumbai ) on 1st June 1947 . He is a chemistry graduate of the
University of Mumbai. Later on he studied Journalism from International
institute for Journalism, Berlin and worked as Journalist for leading newspapers
like The Daily, The Indian Express and The Free Press Journal. Later on in the
year 1990 he started Bombay Dost, a magazine dealing with the various issues
and problems of LGBTQ+ community .
It was the first magazine covering
different areas related to LGBTQ+ community.
Ashok Row Kavi also worked for
creating awareness about HIV AIDS among LGBTQ+ people.
He also formed The Humsafar Trust. The
Humsafar Trust promoted an unique project called “LIKHO” in order to
make the new generation persons from LGBTQ+ community to express their views
about Homosexuality and HIV. He also started the ‘Likho Awards’ with the ‘Blued’ which is world’s largest Gay
social network app.
Famous film personalities such as
Imran khan , Kalki Koechlin and Manoj Bajpayee have appeared on the cover of ‘Bombay
Dost’.
Ashok Row Kavi has worked very
closely with Mumbai District Aids Control Society (MDACS).
Ashok Row Kavi could be considered
the first famous person belonging to LGBTQ+ community from India.
One more important LGBTQ+ activist
from India fighting especially for queer rights is Pavan Dhall . He lives in
Kolkata. He is the founder member of ‘Varta Trust’ which works for the LGBTQ+
community. He was inspired to work for LGBTQ+ persons after reading a book titled
‘The World of Homosexuals’ written by Shakuntana Devi. He realised that he was
Gay when he was seventeen years old . After the completion of graduation he worked
as a journalist for a leading business daily, Business Standard . He worked
closely with Ashok Row Kavi.
Due to his efforts mainly the
council club was started in Kolkata in 1993 . Through council club LGBTQ+
persons were asked to write about their problems and even advice stations were
organised for them. There is no doubt that after Ashok Row Kavi , Pavan Dhall
is the most important LGBTQ+ leader or activists from India.
There is a need to sensitise the
society about the LGBTQ+ community and their problems. They are also part of
Human society and hence should be treated with dignity. We should accept them
as equal citizens of the world and
should not be looked down upon . They need help , cooperation and love e and affection from society at large.
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