Pawan Dhall
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Pawan Dhall is an Indian queer activist, archivist, researcher, and writer based in Kolkata, West Bengal. He has been involved in LGBTQ movements in India since the early 1990s.[1]
Early activism and professional career
Dhall was a founding member of Counsel Club, Kolkata (1993–2002), one of India's earliest queer support groups. He served as the editor for its house journal, Pravartak, which was first published in 1991. In 1995, following a dispute over the name with a traditional charitable organization, the publication was renamed Naya Pravartak and continued under that title until its final issue in 2000.[2]
From 2002 to 2014, Dhall worked with SAATHII, a non-profit organization focused on healthcare and social justice for marginalized communities, including gender and sexual minorities.[3]
Friendship Walk (1999)
Dhall was among the organizers of India's first pride march, the Friendship Walk, held in Kolkata on 2 July 1999. In total, fifteen people participated in the event.[4]
Research
Dhall co-authored a study on digital media and sexual health interventions among gay men, MSM, and trans women in West Bengal. The research was conducted in collaboration with Loughborough University and the University of Sussex, funded by the Wellcome Trust.[5]
Archive
Dhall has built a personal archive documenting the early LGBTQ+ movement in India since the late 1980s. The archive includes letters, typewritten notes, emails, and physical copies of Pravartak.[1]
Publications
Dhall has written or edited several books about queer issues in India.
- Queer Potli: Memories, Imaginations and Re-imaginations of Urban Queer Spaces in India (editor, Queer Ink, 2019) ISBN 978-8193318911 – An anthology exploring queer experiences and personal histories across urban spaces in India.[6]
- Social Media, Sexuality and Sexual Health Advocacy in Kolkata, India (co-author with Rohit K. Dasgupta and Paul Boyce, Bloomsbury India, 2017) – A study analyzing the opportunities and limitations of utilizing digital platforms for sexual health interventions.[5]
- Out of Line and Offline: Queer Mobilizations in '90s Eastern India (Seagull Books, 2020) – A monograph documenting the initial mobilization of queer collectives and support networks in eastern India prior to widespread internet access.[7]
- Unfinished Equality: Discrimination, Resistance and Hope in Queer India (Seagull Books, 2026) – A volume analyzing the systemic exclusions and ongoing legal battles faced by the Indian queer community following the decriminalization of homosexuality.[8]
Varta Trust
Dhall is a founding trustee of Varta Trust, a Kolkata-based non-profit focused on gender and sexuality publishing, research, and advocacy.[1]
Recognition
In 2018, Dhall received the KASHISH Rainbow Warrior Award for his contributions to LGBTQ+ visibility and empowerment in India.[9]