IIT-Bombay gears up for second edition of one-day queer festival on campus, Rangavali

This year’s event will feature a diverse range of activities, including poster-making, art kiosks, talent shows, fashion displays, and the screening of films from the Kashish film festival, a queer film festival collective based in Mumbai, focusing on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer communities

Mumbai: The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) is gearing up for the second edition of its queer festival — Rangavali. The queer fest, aimed to break barriers and foster inclusivity, is scheduled for a one-day celebration this Saturday on the campus.

This year event’s will be held on Saturday.

Organized by the Saathi Club, the LGBTQIA+ resource group at the institute, Rangavali was introduced last year as an inclusive platform to let people express their identity and talents without the fear of being judged.

This year’s event will feature a diverse range of activities, including poster-making, art kiosks, talent shows, fashion displays, and the screening of films from the Kashish film festival, a queer film festival collective based in Mumbai, focusing on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer communities.

Atharva Jadhav, one of the festival’s coordinators, explained, “Taking learnings from last year, we have reduced the festival’s duration to make it more structured. As this is a young festival, we are evolving each year.”

To promote inclusivity, Rangavali will allow participants to communicate in their preferred language. This initiative aims to ensure that individuals from all backgrounds can fully engage in the festival’s activities without any barriers.

Highlighting the importance of intersectionality, Atharva said, “We have students coming from different parts of India who may not be comfortable with English. Everybody will pick a language they are comfortable in, even in the panel discussions.”

The queer fest will also feature panel discussions with notable personalities, including Professor Ishan Chakraborty from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, who will bring a unique perspective as a queer and visually impaired individual.

To embrace diversity on a broader scale, Rangavali will collaborate with other campus clubs such as the SC/ST Cell, Persons with Disability (PwD) Cell, and the Gender Cell.

IIT Bombay is one of the few IITs to have a dedicated queer festival, setting a precedent for promoting diversity and challenging societal norms. This festival marks a significant step towards creating a more inclusive and accepting environment within the institute and beyond.