Latest news with #Sapan
Boston Globe
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Their Huntington Theatre wedding celebrated their culture, families, and the fine art of drag
Sapan Shah was trying to spark conversation, but his date remained tight-lipped behind his K95 mask, eyes glued to the big screen. Sai Srujan Gudibandi resorted to 'non-verbal communication,' as the actor became 'The Batman.' 'He's the model movie watcher,' says Sapan of Sai Srujan. 'He would not talk to me. He would not look at me.' The Covid-19 omicron variant had the public on alert at the time, but even while masked, Sapan wanted to make the most of their first date. Sai Srujan, however, is a cinema purist: 'What if people around me say s hush or something?' They had matched on Tinder, and arrived minutes before showtime at Landmark Kendall Square Cinema in March 2022. They only exchanged pleasantries before the trailers started to roll. Post-first date, Sapan (right) and Sai Srujan continued to bond as film buffs. captures Advertisement 'It was quite the struggle — the movie, infamously, is three hours long,' says Sapan. On Tinder, they'd bonded over superhero films — 'Marvel, all the way,' says Sapan, 'but DC has its charming moments,' adds Sai Srujan — and their upbringings in India. Sai Srujan grew up in Vijayawada in coastal southeastern India, while Sapan was raised in Vadodara, out west. Both attended undergraduate engineering programs before moving to the States for graduate school. Sai Srujan was 30 at the time. He had moved Boston in 2016 for work after graduate school at Texas A&M. Sapan was 28, in his second year at Harvard Business School, and, as his Tinder profile noted: a Advertisement In addition to the communal cultural traditions and tributes in their wedding, the couple also used nods to their heritages to frame their vows. captures After the film, Sapan relayed his two-week-fresh coming out story on the walk to Lone Star Taco Bar in Inman Square. 'Basically, a lot of personal trauma dumping on the first date, which is, as we now understand, not really good practice,' Sapan says. 'But I didn't know anything.' Related : It was Sapan's first date with a man and the masks were off. 'The butterflies and giddiness went up a few notches,' Sai Srujan says. 'Trauma dumping,' it was not: 'I felt special that he felt comfortable enough to share with me.' Sai Srujan just remembers spicy margaritas and falling in love with Sapan's voice. They later walked to Sai Srujan's apartment, where he served Sapan green tea in response to a joke about Indian chai's superiority. A 'courage cup,' remembers Sai Srujan. After a pep talk with himself in the bathroom mirror, Sapan returned to the kitchen for their first kiss. Sapan (right) met RuAfza (center), a Tufts alum, through a mutual friend and had reached out via Instagram about officiating their wedding. captures On their second date at Alden and Harlow, they discussed past heartaches and Sapan reached across the table for Sai Srujan's hand. 'Up until that point I don't think I was publicly intimate with anyone, in any way, in the world,' remembers Sai Srujan. While 'a little bit uncomfortable' at first, he was glad he didn't pull away. Soon, there were gatherings with Sapan's cohort, and puzzles and dinners at Sai Srujan's apartment. They embraced their opposite natures. Sai Srujan describes Sapan as the 'biggest extrovert I've ever met in my life.' While Sapan says of Sai Srujan, 'once he's comfortable with you, he is the life of the party.' 'Meeting a thousand people in a single day is never on my bingo card,' Sai Srujan says. 'I distinctly remember we were a team against the world. ... [Sapan would] make me feel comfortable within big social spaces. And whenever my social energy was completely down, he'd say, 'Let's go.'' Advertisement Sai Srujan — an intellectual property consultant by trade, and home chef — learned how to make Sapan's favorite Gujarati dishes. Sapan told Sai Srujan that informing his parents about their relationship might be 'a challenging conversation, but I know for a fact, once my mom knows I am with someone who loves to cook and loves to feed me, she will be sold.' (Sai Srujan and Sapan's mother now exchange recipes.) The wedding's primary festivities took place in the Huntington's Maso Studio, a black box event and performance space. captures In April, on an 'I am not a dancer at all,' says Sai Srujan. 'But I remember feeling not shy or awkward because I had a partner showing me the moves.' Later that night, Sapan told Sai Srujan that he loved him. 'I was expecting a long line of kissing frogs before I found a prince,' says Sapan. 'But I started realizing that I had gotten really lucky.' Sapan graduated in spring of 2023, and the couple moved in together in Boston, where they now reside, that August. They love to entertain, hosting frequent dinner parties with boardgames. 'He brings the dinner and I am the entertainment,' says Sapan, who now works as a management consultant. Sai Srujan (left) and Sapan worked with London-based dance instructors Ayesha and Mansha Gupta via Zoom to choreograph their first Sangeet performance as husbands. captures They both wanted to propose — they discussed rings together, but planned for surprises. In December 2024, during a holiday visit to Sapan's sister's New Jersey home, he presented a ring to Sai Srujan. Advertisement 'I did my whole speech, and he's like, 'OK, wait, I'm gonna get my ring,' Sapan says. They both said 'yes.' Sapan, 31, and Sai Srujan, 33, married on May 25 at the Huntington Theatre in Boston. They had already tied the knot in a March civil ceremony at Cambridge City Hall. But the May wedding incorporated cultural traditions they wanted to share with the community they had built in Boston. For their ceremony, the couple changed into sparkling suits by Barabas. captures The evening featured a sangeet ceremony with seven group performances by friends and family, culminating with the grooms. The couple are fans of drag performance and they tapped They exchanged I do's before 84 guests. Sapan surprised his groom with two versions of his vows: one in English, another in Telugu for Sai Srujan's mother. '[My mother] doesn't understand a lot of English or Gujarati,' says Sai Srujan, whose native language is Telugu. 'I was bawling, my mom was bawling, my dad was bawling.' There was a Gujarati curry, Telugu food, and a macaron tower from Le Macaron. Dinner was by The newlyweds had a 'really tight budget' and planned the wedding themselves. They worried the Etsy decor they bought might look 'makeshift," but 15 friends arrived that morning to hang billowing drapes and set out lanterns and flowers around Advertisement Sai Srujan (left) and Sapan officially wed on the anniversary of their first date at Cambridge City Hall with a small group of close friends as witnesses, followed by brunch. captures 'We were absolutely blown away by how beautiful and brilliant it looked,' says Sapan. 'I've come out of [our wedding] with so much gratitude for the people around us.' In their three years together, Sai Srujan's parents came to embrace their son's partner and relationship. But he believes it was a shared belief that marriage is a lifelong union that helped them move forward as a family. 'The assurance of companionship is what made [my parents] feel much better and much happier for me,' says Sai Srujan. 'I would take that over anything else. ... my parents are everything to me. I am so happy that I got to share this moment with [Sapan], and my parents were witness to that.' Read more from , The Boston Globe's new weddings column. Rachel Kim Raczka is a writer and editor in Boston. She can be reached at
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Unfazed by conflicts, small group of teens under Sapan quietly working together across borders to share vision for peace
BATHINDA: 'We are brothers and sisters on different sides of the border. Peace is not only possible, it's natural — if we can talk, listen, and treat each other with sincerity', Shazain, a teenager in Karachi, speaks from the heart about the deep similarities between Indian and Pakistani people, lamenting how political divisions have kept them apart. He was from amongst nearly a dozen young people from around the region who came together in an inspiring display of cross-border solidarity from across Southasia at a series of dialogues organised by the Southasia Peace Action Network, known as Sapan. Having a dialogue amongst them for nearly two weeks, the group also created a collaborative poster titled 'A Moment of Peace'. They participated in online event 'What does peace mean to young Southasians' and 'With conflict dominating public narrative, young Southasians reimagine peace across borders'where young speakers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka shared personal narratives, political reflections, and ideas for building peace in the region. 'We cannot talk about peace and prosperity in Southasia unless we meaningfully include its youth, who represent nearly half of the population,' said event host Sarita Bartula, a Nepali-origin Sapan founding member and twice former President of Youth Initiative Nepal. Her words underscore the urgency of listening to and empowering the region's future leaders. From Bangladesh, student activist Prapti shared a passionate reflection on the 2024 'Monsoon Revolution' that led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She called for linking peace with justice. 'There is no peace without justice,' she declared, drawing attention to the ongoing struggles of Bangladesh's indigenous communities and youth activists. From Delhi, Amber added a deeply personal perspective, reflecting on her family's migration from what is now Pakistan and her dual religious identity as the daughter of a Muslim mother and Hindu father. 'I am my grandmother's granddaughter, a listener, a bridge between many stories,' she said. Her words captured the spirit of the gathering: rooted in memory, hopeful for change, and committed to unity beyond borders. From Nepal, Arya drew attention to how peace is freedom and simple acts like banding together over music and art are also manifestations of peace. To her peace is not just personal but it is a joint connection. Onali from Sri Lanka recounted how ordinary citizens merely reached out to one another during conflict and established a dialogue with each other which provided a huge boost to the recovery process in Sri Lanka. Providing historical context, Kabir from Delhi reminded participants that 'Peace and power are bed fellows'. He emphasised that the definition of peace is well known but frequently violated by powerful interests. From Lahore, Noor expressed her growing concerns over the role of the media while highlighting how vulnerable the public is to propaganda when triggered or emotionally aroused. Sher in Islamabad underscored the importance of bringing young people together to discuss the role of climate change and spoke about how crucial it is to collaborate with each other to confront universal problems. All participants emphatically expressed that their power is in their numbers, their choices and above all in their own individual and collective voices. Moderated by peacebuilder Ranjini, a consultant in Delhi, the event created a safe, open space for young voices to be heard and respected by elders and peers alike. Participants spoke of generational trauma, the meaning of trust, and the need for demilitarisation and people-to-people dialogue. Sapan founding member Lalita Ramdas, 84, shared the Sapan Founding Charter that calls for governments across the region to let people meet, trade, and travel. Speaking with a photo of her late husband, former Indian Navy Chief Admiral Ramu Ramdas behind her, she said that his dearest wish was for India and Pakistan to have good neighbourly relations. 'One often speaks of the 'perspective of youth' but how often does one actually hear them. It was elevating to listen to multiple young people speak of their vision of peace – their views were diverse, thoughtful and often inspiring,' commented Sapan founder member Salima Hashmi. The event reaffirmed the belief upheld by Sapan members that young people are not just the future, but active agents of change. As tensions across Southasia remain high, the voices of its youth offer not only critique but also the vision for peace that is just, inclusive, and transformative.
Scroll.in
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Beyond the drumbeats of war, the quiet thrum of peace activism
In the heavy fog of artillery fire, drone attacks and shrill rhetoric, the mere mention of peace or even dialogue seems inconceivable. Early on May 7, the Indian military struck nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Public discourse was triumphant, even encouraging further military action. In a quiet corner of the internet, a petition by the Southasia Peace Action Network or Sapan urging both sides to end hostilities, had garnered nearly 3,000 signatures in the 24 hours since it was issued on May 9. It may be a drop in the ocean but it reflects the tireless efforts of peace advocates like Lalita Ramdas. On Saturday evening, when India announced that the two countries had agreed to a ceasefire, Ramdas was relieved – as, she said, 'any sensible person would be'. 'I hope this will be the start of a positive, constructive dialogue as the way forward,' she said. As far back as the 1970s, Ramdas was an anti-nuclear activist. She recalls how her husband, the late Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas, reacted to India test-firing nuclear weapons at Pokhran in 1998. 'He said, 'this is probably the worst thing we have done because very soon I know what's going to happen',' she said. 'And sure enough, on the 11th of May…was when India detonated the nuclear weapon in Pokhran and on the 28th of May Pakistan followed suit.' India and Pakistan are nuclear-armed states at hand-holding distance, she noted. But now, peace activism in the subcontinent has never been more difficult. 'Many people still ask me where I still find the energy to stay engaged. I happen to be 85 at the moment. I can't answer where it's coming from,' she said. 'For me, and for many of us in the women's movement, the personal actually becomes the political. I believe that contributes in large measure to keep us going.' Ramdas recalls being deeply affected by her husband's accounts of his formative experience as a young boy during Partition when he watched his parents stand up to a mob demanding that they hand over the Muslim family sheltering in their home. Her own efforts through the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom were just as defining: she organised peace marches, helped at relief camps, wrote down the testimonies of Sikh widows and even testified before the Ranganath Mishra Commission of Inquiry knowing it could risk her husband's naval career. 'I think it's important that you have a clear, steady belief in the fact that what you're doing is right, what you're doing is in line with your conscience,' Ramdas said. A week ago, Ramdas wrote two letters of support to Himanshi Narwal, the widow of naval officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal who was shot dead in Pahalgam. Himanshi Narwal was viciously attacked online. 'Because she talked of peace and love and no hatred for Muslims and Kashmiris – the trolling she's been subjected to that I never thought I'd live to see it,' said Ramdas. 'If we really want peace, we have to look at some of these underlying systems and structures – including militarism, patriarchy and misogyny – which also militate against peace,' she said. 'There are all of these layers and layers that go into making it such a difficult thing to achieve.' 'But we have to keep going.' Excerpts from an interview. What does it feel like to speak for peace in the midst of jingoism and when there seems to be no place for any talk of opposing war? I'm not even using the word peace. I'm saying if one suggests maybe there are other ways, maybe we need dialogue, maybe we need to look at another's point of view…it's then immediately…sort of completely… people scream at you and say therefore you are anti-national when you even make that suggestion. So, all forms of reasoning or dialogue or critical thought are not only seen as negative but are actively discouraged. We need to remember what [Rabindranath] Tagore had written about nationalism being the real menace in India. He was convinced that his countrymen will really gain their idea of India by fighting against an education system which teaches them that a country is greater than the ideas of humanity. Of course, everyone turns around and says 'oh come on now, that's a very long agenda and it will take forever'. But he said this a 100 years ago and we actually never took him seriously. It's gone so deeply into our collective psyche that it is going to take a lot of work – it is like unlearning and then relearning – to look at the whole thing in a different context. I don't know if that is an answer but it's the best one that I have at the moment, to explain I think the place we have arrived at. There is a vacuum in peace activism when it comes to the younger generation, which has only known heightened tensions and the influence of highly polarised societies. We've just had a two-hour-long absolutely wonderful meeting over Zoom where about 50 people from Pakistan and 50 of us from India talked, shared our pain and our feelings. It was so reassuring because we were all saying and hearing the same message, 'no, we don't want war; we need to talk, we need to have dialogue'; but the refrain everywhere was we need more young people. And I think that we have not actually given serious energy and time to bringing in more people to tell them what all this is about. Peace sounds dull… certainly not something which will excite people. [We need to] reach out, talk to young people, get them involved, not by saying 'hello, hi I want to talk about peace'. But let's have conversations, in which these options about what happens with the ugliness of war. And in some senses, in a very perverse way, maybe today is the right time. Because we've seen young people willing to put their freedom on the line, sometimes their lives on the line, because they have stood up for Gaza and the Palestinians. How do we find a way of drawing in young people? Let's hear what they are saying without giving them lectures about what has to be done. I think we have to now clearly focus on that; there's not many of us who'll carry on for much longer.
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Sapan makes an urgent plea to India and Pakistan to stop the probable war immediately
BATHINDA: Amid the rising tensions between two neighbouring countries in the aftermath of Pahalgam attack and operation Sindoor, the Southasia Peace Action Network ( Sapan ) has made an urgent plea to India and Pakistan to stop the probable war a statement, Sapan has stated 'we stand in solidarity with all those categorically condemning any form of violent extremism or 'terrorism' and against the cowardly targeting of unarmed civilians, for any reason. The communal and toxic weaponizing of religions currently feeding frenzy in Pakistan and India amplified by media and social media, gives the illusion of a consensus for war'.The statement goes 'We urge the international community to stand in solidarity with the peoples of Southasia. We call upon journalists and social media users to engage with their platforms responsibly and ethically and not fan the fires. The governments of India and Pakistan must behave responsibly. Any war between these two nuclear-armed nations would be disastrous not just for the people of those countries but for the region and for global peace'.We therefore urge the people of India and Pakistan to hold their governments accountable and resist any speech or actions that feed war hysteria. We call on all those who believe that peace, not war, is the way forward, to speak out against the politics of hate, violence, and vengeance, and to stand up for dialogue, cooperation, and a shared future of peace and co-existence", it further from Sapan, many other peace groups have urged the government to exercise restraint aiming to stop the skirmishes into a war. Pakistan India peoples forum for peace and democracy (PIPFPD), farmer organisations have urged the nations to turn towards dialogue.
Khaleej Times
16-04-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Exiled Afghan women welcome funding pledge with hope and tears
A funding pledge from the International Cricket Council (ICC) has given Afghanistan's exiled women cricketers hope of recognition and the chance to play on the international stage in defiance of the Taliban. The game's global governing body said on Sunday it would set up a dedicated fund to support the Afghan women, most of whom have resettled in Australia after fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban swept to power in 2021. The ICC declined to provide financial details or a timeline for the disbursement of funds but the players are hopeful the pledge will prove a watershed for the women's game. "We feel inspired and valued," Nahida Sapan, one of the refugee cricketers based in Melbourne, told Reuters. "This news gave us a lot of confidence for the future. "We messaged each other and called each other about it. Some of the girls were crying because we worked really hard for it." Sapan was among 25 women contracted by the Afghanistan cricket board in 2020 who hoped to follow the men's team by playing on the game's global stage. Most have started new lives in Australia, with some moving to Britain and Canada. Captained by Sapan, the Australia-based cricketers played an exhibition match in January against a team arranged by Cricket Without Borders, a non-profit organisation supporting the women's game. It was their first match since fleeing Afghanistan, and while it lacked international recognition it was facilitated by Cricket Australia and supported by local government officials. Afghanistan has an established men's team which enjoys ICC funding despite human rights groups calling on the governing body to suspend the nation's membership and ban them from playing in international cricket. Australia and other countries refuse to play the Afghanistan men's team in bilateral series citing deteriorating human rights for women in the county, where female sport has been crushed. Since returning to power in 2021 the Taliban have restricted women's access to education and work, curbed their movement and forced them to cover their faces and bodies. The Taliban say they respect women's rights in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law and local customs. The ICC said it will work with the Indian, Australian and England cricket boards to set up a taskforce aimed at sustaining the Afghan women's cricket careers but steered clear of acknowledging the players' hopes of recognition. It declined to comment on whether there was a pathway to recognition for them. Sapan said no cricketers from the Afghanistan men's squad had reached out to congratulate the women over the funding pledge. But that was understandable given the politics involved, she added. "It's difficult. We know about the Afghanistan situation. We know about the cricket situation in Afghanistan because, you know, the Taliban don't want Afghanistan cricket board to support the women's team," she said. "If they support the women's team they might not be able to continue (playing) their matches and it will be like closing the cricket board door for all men."
