NEW DELHI: Indradhanu, the LGBTQI+ support group at IIT-Delhi, will organise the second edition of the institute’s first pride fest, Vibhinn, on January 13-14.
The med ‘Information and Injustice’, Vibhinn will feature a town hall meeting with LGBTQI+ leaders who have struggled against all social odds to register political victories. One of the speakers will be Shabnam Mausi, the only transgender person in the country to get elected to a legislative assembly as an independent candidate. The discussion will focus on ‘Trans Politics — Navigating Political Representation and Futures’. Other speakers are Bobi Kinnar, MCD member from Sultanpuri ward, and Disha Pinki Shaikh, a transgender political leader from Maharashtra.
“Our world view on the diversity of people and cultures is often shaped by our everyday social interaction. Information and self-knowledge become our yardstick to make sense of our belongingness in the social world. However, as social beings, we often remain at odds with information that we believe is uncommon, and at times, unsettling,” said Vaivab Das, a PhD scholar and Students Affairs Council representative at Indradhanu. The IIT group has always worked towards forging dialogues, “where we turn our attention not merely to ‘human difference’ but also to informational systems that hinder our ability to understand one another without prejudice”, Das added. “It is not only a celebration of diversity, but also a platform for critical discussions and insights into the LGBTQI+ experience.”
The fest will feature an All India Queer Collective Conference on Saturday, bringing together LGBTQI+ collectives from across the country to facilitate participatory learning, collaboration and idea exchange on topics like gender, sexuality, caste, class, disability and ethnicity. A workshop, Queer Activism and the Right to Information Act, is also on the cards. It will be followed by a queer talent show, which will provide a platform for artistic expression, celebrating diversity and resilience within the community.
The fest will conclude with a pride march on Sunday, promoting acceptance, visibility and solidarity. The march will bring together members of the LGBTQI+ community, allies and participants, echoing the founding vision and values of the institute in pride hues.
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