Over 1,500 Join Pune Pride Walk Celebrating Queer Identity and Rights
By Kajal Bhukan
Pune, 8th June, 2025: Chants of “Tumcha amcha same asta, prem mhanje prem asta” (“Yours and mine is the same love is love”) echoed through the streets of old Pune on Sunday, as more than 1,500 people took part in the 13th edition of the city’s annual Pride Walk. Initiated by the Yutak Charitable Trust with the help of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), the function was held to raise awareness regarding LGBTQIA+ rights and to commemorate the community’s identity.
The walk began at Abhinav Chowk on Bajirao Road, winding through Shanipar Chowk, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Road, Khadakmal Police Station, Mamledar Kacheri, and Rashtra Bhushan Chowk, before returning to its starting point by evening.
Employees from corporate firms such as Kohler, Cummins, and Deutsche Bank many donning their firms’ Pride-themed merchandise walked alongside volunteers from social organisations like Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, Family Planning Association of India, and the National Legal Services Authority, reflecting wide societal support for LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
District Judge Sonal Patil, DLSA Secretary, had been declared as one of the event marshals but was unable to take part.
Leading the march were Sanvi Jethwani, Co-Vice President of the Maharashtra Transgender Welfare Board, and Protyush Borgohain, Director of Digital Enterprise Platforms at Kohler Co.
Looking beyond Pune, a Yutak organiser from Nashik shared their excitement about the upcoming Pride Parade there on June 15 at 2 p.m. “It’s a matter of pride to host a Pride Parade in a small city like Nashik,” the organiser said. “We walk for our rights — marriage, adoption, safety, and awareness. We’re human too, and deserve dignity regardless of gender. LGBTQIA+ identities are not new; they’ve existed since the times of the Ramayan and Mahabharat. We are not unnatural or abnormal. Love is love — be it yours or mine.”
Student participant Jyoti, attending her second Pride, shared her admiration for the community. “I love walking alongside them. Their courage, energy, and awareness about both themselves and society are inspiring. They’re creating real change while dealing with personal and social challenges. There’s a lot to learn from them.”
As Pride Month continues around the globe, Pune’s vibrant walk stood as a powerful reminder that love, dignity, and equal rights are not privileges but entitlements that belong to all.
