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As HT City turns 25 this year, we take a look at the first time love in all its forms was celebrated in India. In an effort to bring the LGBTQIA+ community to the forefront, the first pride parade in the country took place on 2 July 1999 at the Park Circus grounds in Kolkata. It was called The Friendship Walk and it began with a motley group of fifteen participants. They came from various cities across the country including Mumbai and Bengaluru.
The name of the march also did not advertise the fact that it was an activity for the gay community, like the Gay Pride Liberation March, as it was called in the US. Pawan Dhal, who was one of the original 15 participants, tells Firstpost, “It seemed like too much. We thought about calling it the Human Rights March but that seemed too broad.” The group started calling it The Friendship Walk to sound more welcoming.
Since there was not much internet access, organizing the event was a challenge. It was organized via telephone, Yahoo groups, and listservs. In contrast to today’s colorful style statements, participants wore bright yellow T-shirts with pink triangles, designed specifically for this parade.
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