District judge Sonal Patil to participate in Pune's 13th LGBTIQA Pride Walk

Indian Express

03-06-2025

On Sunday, Sonal Patil, District Judge and Secretary of Pune District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) and Dr Sanvi Jethwani, Co-Vice President of Maharashtra State Board for Protection of Transgender Rights and Welfare, will walk along with thousands at the 13th edition of LGBTIQA Pride March in Pune.
This year, the march is being jointly organised by the District Legal Services Authority and Yutak Charitable Trust.
Anil Ukaranade, founder director of Yutak Charitable Trust, said the presence of dignitaries such as Dr Jethwani and Patil is to bring the legal rights of the community to the mainstream.
'Of late, we have seen increased attacks on members of the community. Be it blackmailing of gay men, or transgenders not being given their rights, there is an uptick in such cases,' he said.
Ukarande said the District Legal Services Authority provides legal aid to people who are not able to afford the legal costs.
'However, many in the community do not know of this,' he said.
Yutak's collaboration with the DLSA is aimed at spreading awareness and urging the community to seek legal aid if necessary.
Ukarande highlighted the numerous cases they had handled previously involving the transgender community.
'It's very important that the community gets to know of this resource,' he said.
'At the end of the day, it is the government that has to implement the schemes and formulate the same. We have seen if we work in silos there are gaps. When Dr Jethwani walks with us it is more than symbolic – it's is important that the community keeps all channels open for formulation of policies for them,' he said.
Sonal Patil said DLSA Pune is organising the Pride Walk to promote awareness, acceptance, and legal rights. 'As the Secretary of District Legal Services Authority, Pune, proudly support the LGBTQA community's quest for equality and inclusivity,' she said.
Protyush Borgohain, director of Digital Enterprise Platforms at Kohler Co, would also be the co-grand marshal.
Previously, the Chief Election Commissioner of Maharashtra had led the march and was also a joint organizer.
Dr Jethwani told The Indian Express that Pride is not just a celebration but a strong assertion of visibility, dignity, and the demand for equality for the community.
'Such events are essential to highlight the presence, struggles, and contribution of queer individuals from all walks of life,' she said.
Last week, during the Thane Pride, members of a political party had tried to disrupt the event, which, Dr Jethwani said, was due to a lack of awareness and acceptance.
'One should look into the heart of people. They should rise beyond caste, creed, religion, etc,' she said.
The Pride this year will start from Abhinav Chowk on Bajirao Road at 4.30 pm. This would be the first time since its inception the march has changed its route.
Ukarande said this was done to ensure more visibility in the core city areas as well as to avoid traffic issues on FC and JM Road.
Partha Sarathi Biwas is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express with 10+ years of experience in reporting on Agriculture, Commodities and Developmental issues. He has been with The Indian Express since 2011 and earlier worked with DNA. Partha's report about Farmers Producer Companies (FPC) as well long pieces on various agricultural issues have been cited by various academic publications including those published by the Government of India. He is often invited as a visiting faculty to various schools of journalism to talk about development journalism and rural reporting. In his spare time Partha trains for marathons and has participated in multiple marathons and half marathons. ... Read More