Shashank (36), a queer trans individual from Himachal Pradesh, and Don (30), a non-binary trans individual from Kolkata, wanted to change how queerness was addressed in mainstream society.

Together they started the ‘Himachal Queer Collective’, which organised its first pride walk in December 2021 at Palampur.

This set the stage for numerous other pride walks in the state — the June 2022 pride walk at Kullu, the April 2023 pride walk at Dharamshala, and the June 2023 pride walk in Shimla.

The initiative organises a number of programmes through which it attempts to change mindsets in rural India. One of the most popular programmes at Himachal Queer Collective is ‘Satrangi Saathi’.

They raise awareness through workshops in institutions, healthcare centres, panchayats, mahila mandals and anganwadis.

Another programme ‘Himachal Trans Act Awareness Program’ breaks down the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) 2019 Act.

It does this through conversations around the different intersections of issues, identities and livelihoods of trans individuals in India.

The mental health workshops act as a space to help queer persons address their wounds.

The gender fellowship programme trains youth from Uttarakhand, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Madhya Pradesh, to understand intersectionality. It then equips them to work in their respective states on these issues.

Today, the impact of Himachal Queer Foundation’s work is seen in Kangra, Kullu, Shimla, and 65 other villages in Himachal, subsequently impacting “over 30,000 people”.

While initially bootstrapped, the foundation is presently funded by organisations across India advocating for LGBTQ rights.