BENGALURU: Bengaluru’s Pride Month celebrations commenced with a vibrant display of colours and an overflow of love. This month-long festivity in the city serves as a platform for people from all walks of life to unite and honour the LGBTQIA+ community.
A standout event in this year’s festivities is the dazzling celebration of queer freedom at The Lalit Ashok Bangalore, presented by The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and the Keshav Suri Foundation. Born out of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, the hotel group’s #PureLove campaign aims to establish a safe space where everyone can socialise and feel embraced.
Kitty Ko, the nightclub at The Lalit Ashok Bangalore, has gained recognition as a platform for drag artists and a supporter of acid attack survivors from the LGBTQIA+ community. On June 24, the hotel will host India’s largest pride event, the Absolut Ally Pride Night, featuring renowned artistes such as Rani Ko-HE-Nur and DJ Ma Faiza.
The lineup also includes Seventeen Sins, Zeesh, Beyonce the Drag Queen, Drag Emperor Naaz, Drag King Neethu Vanajaksshi, and DJ Notorious. The celebration continues on June 25 with the Queerlicious Drag brunch, which offers an opportunity to meet, interact, and dispel myths surrounding the community while enjoying a menu adorned with rainbow-inspired delights. Additionally, the hotel offers luxurious pridecation room packages, which include breakfast, a major meal, and complimentary entry to Kitty Ko, among other perks.
The 15th edition of the nasscom Global Inclusion summit 2023, titled ‘Real-world Actions for Mainstreaming Inclusion’, will take place on June 27 and 28 at Radisson Blu Marathalli. The forum will focus on three areas: The Board Room Commitments, Learning to Unlearn—An organisation’s journey to Mainstreaming
Inclusion, and, Technology for Inclusion. Registrations open at nasscom.in/inclusion-summit.
Out & Equal’s ‘2023 LGBTQI+ APAC Forum: A Day of Transformation’ conference will be held on July 11 at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore. This premier workplace inclusion event in the Asia Pacific region aims to bring together LGBTQI+ and ally workplace inclusion professionals for a day of learning, trailblazing discussions, and peer-to-peer workshops. Register at outandequal.org/apac.
SOCIAL, an urban hangout, has played a crucial role in fostering inclusivity and providing safe spaces for individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community to engage, express, and influence culture. Recently, Indiranagar SOCIAL hosted the seventh edition of Satrangi Mela, a cultural festival that promotes queer-owned businesses. The festival also featured an Open Artist and Drag Showcase with Count Kahlo, Emperor Naaz, and Bloody Kamina. Moreover, The Forest at The Den Bengaluru has been home to Pride Month events featuring drag queens from across the country, organised by Dude Party.