Pune's 14th LGBTQ Pride Walk Draws Over 1,800 Participants

The YUTAK LGBTQ Trust organised Pune’s 14th Annual Official Pride Walk (Abhiman Padayatra) on Saturday, drawing over 1,800 participants. The event brought together members of the LGBTQIA community, corporate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) networks, grassroots activists, supportive parents and allies.

Led by Grand Marshal Reeva Kinkar, a transwoman and senior corporate HR DEI leader, the Pride Walk served as a peaceful yet high-visibility demonstration celebrating self-identity while advocating for legal and constitutional rights.

Participants voiced concerns over the recently passed Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, and called for a more inclusive legal framework. The YUTAK Trust and marchers reiterated their demand for recognition of the right to self-perceived gender identity, as upheld by the Supreme Court in the landmark NALSA vs Union of India (2014) judgment.

“The logistics, permissions and outreach required for an event of this scale were made possible through the support of individual donors and our organisational partners. The true strength of this effort was our dedicated volunteer team, who managed crowd safety, logistics and coordination throughout the event,” said YUTAK founder Anil Ukarande.

He also expressed gratitude to the police administration, including DCP (Traffic) Sandeep Bhajibhakare and DCP Zone 1 Pandurang Patil. He also thanked the Khadak, Faraskhana and Vishrambaug police stations for their exceptional on-the-ground coordination, visible patrol presence, and deeply respectful, supportive behaviour.

Filmmaker Nakshatra Bagwe, who attended the march, took to Instagram and wrote, “What an experience. Walking alongside friends, community members, allies, and so many incredible people was truly special. Every year when I attend a Pride march, I meet people who come up to me, talk to me and appreciate the work I do, whether through my web series, community initiatives or helping people through crises. It always means a lot, but this year felt particularly special. I was so, so, so happy when members of the trans and intersex communities reached out, spoke to me and shared their kind words. Meeting people from smaller cities and towns around Pune and the surrounding districts reminded me how far our stories travel and how deeply we can connect with one another.”