No-Cost Extension with Deval Sanghavi

Meet the grassroots organizations who are part of the first cohort of The Pride Fund, India’s first dedicated LBTQIA+ fund launched in February 2025.  The Chhattisgarh Mitwa Sankalp Samiti is a Community Based Organization working for the development and mobilization of the transgender community in the region of Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The organisation works to change societal attitudes towards the community, ensuring that government policies and schemes reach the transgender community and also conduct health related workshops. They have also collaborated with the government to set up a TransGender Welfare Board in districts and their advocacy with the police has helped transwomen join the local police force as constables.  Listen to Vidya Rajput speak about their work.  The Pride Fund is led by three philanthropists. Radhika Piramal, Keshav Suri, the executive director of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and the founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation, and Parmesh Shahani, head of Godrej Dei Labs from the Godrej Industries Group. Read more about it here: https://thepridefundindia.org/about-the-pride.  This episode is in Hindi.   

Meet the grassroots organizations who are part of the first cohort of The Pride Fund, India’s first dedicated LBTQIA+ fund launched in February 2025.  Deepshikha Samiti is committed to fostering socio-economic development in Delhi/NCR through education, health initiatives, and employment opportunities, with an aim to empower women, youth, and transgender communities Since 1994, they have been building a safe, healthy and empowered environment for the transgender and MSM community and provide opportunities for them to earn a livelihood and integrate within society. Listen in to Tajuddin Khan speak about their work. To know more about their work visit https://deepshikha.org.in/ The Pride Fund is led by three philanthropists: Radhika Piramal, Keshav Suri, the executive director of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and the founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation, and Parmesh Shahani, head of Godrej Dei Labs from the Godrej Industries Group. Read more about it here: https://thepridefundindia.org/about-the-pride. Find us at Dasra.  This episode is in Hindi.   

Meet the grassroots organizations who are part of the first cohort of The Pride Fund, India’s first dedicated LBTQIA+ fund launched in February 2025.  Vikalp is a women’s rights group that advocates for the rights of marginalised women & gender/sexual minorities, working closely with and in rural tribal areas. Formed in 1996 to combat domestic violence and discrimination against women in Gujarat, India, particularly tribal women, over time Vikalp has evolved at the intersection of class, caste, religion, gender identity and sexual orientation, intervening in the everyday lives of marginalized women and LBT people. Maya Sharma is a veteran feminist activist, researcher and writer, and part of this grassroots women's organization, Vikalp in Vadodara.  The Pride Fund is led by three philanthropists. Radhika Piramal Keshav Suri, the executive director of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and the founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation, and Parmesh Shahani, head of Godrej Dei Labs from the Godrej Industries Group. Read more about it here: https://thepridefundindia.org/about-the-pride. Find us at Dasra.   

Meet the grassroots organizations who are part of the first cohort of The Pride Fund, India’s first dedicated LBTQIA+ fund launched in February 2025.  What is Payana? Payana means Equality.  Payana is a community owned and managed organization based in Bengaluru that aims to address the many challenges of transgender individuals from underserved backgrounds. Their goal is to remove discrimination towards non-English speaking, working class members of sexual minorities and ensure their social inclusion and a life of dignity. The Pride Fund is led by three philanthropists: Radhika Piramal, Keshav Suri, the executive director of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and the founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation, and Parmesh Shahani, head of Godrej Dei Labs from the Godrej Industries Group. Read more about it here: https://thepridefundindia.org/about-the-pride. You can know more about Dasra's work at https://www.dasra.org.  This episode is in Hindi.   

Meet the grassroots organizations who are part of the first cohort of The Pride Fund, India’s first dedicated LBTQIA+ fund launched in February 2025.   Basera is a non-profit organization that strives to promote and protect the rights of the LGBTQ community. It advocates for transgender rights, anti-discrimination laws, protection against hate crimes, documentation and reporting of gender-based violence, and HIV/AIDS awareness. Basera has been instrumental in facilitating employment for members of the transgender community across industries and organisations.   You can find out more about the work of the Basera Samajik Sansthan here: https://baserasamajiksansthan.org/about-us/ The Pride Fund is led by three philanthropists: Radhika Piramal, Keshav Suri, the executive director of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and the founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation, and Parmesh Shahani, head of Godrej Dei Labs from the Godrej Industries Group. Read more about it here: https://thepridefundindia.org/about-the-pride For more information go to https://www.dasra.org.  This episode is in Hindi. 

Over the next few episodes we’ll be meeting the grassroots organizations who are part of the first cohort of The Pride Fund, India’s first dedicated LBTQIA+ fund launched in February 2025.  The Karna Subarna Welfare Society is a network of seven organisations headquartered in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal and addresses the needs of the transgender and queer communities in surrounding areas.  Their main verticals cover rural livelihoods, research and advocacy and awareness.   You can find out more about the work of KSWS here: https://ksws.in/ The Pride Fund is led by three philanthropists. Radhika Piramal Keshav Suri, the executive director of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and the founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation, and Parmesh Shahani, head of Godrej Dei Labs from the Godrej Industries Group. Read more about it here: https://thepridefundindia.org/about-the-pride  

Over the next few episodes we’ll be meeting the grassroots organizations who are part of the first cohort of The Pride Fund, India’s first dedicated LBTQIA+ fund launched in February 2025.  Sadam Hanjabam is the founder and CEO of Ya_All The Youth Network, a United Nations recognized LGBTI+ youth led and focused organisation working in Manipur, India. Ya All aims to capacitate, educate, empower equip and strengthen vulnerable communities.   Listen to Sadam talk about his own personal experiences that lead to the setting up of Ya_All, how they’ve used football as tool to talk about sexuality, and the role of storytelling in effecting change.  You can find out more about the work of Ya_All here: https://www.yaall.org/ The Pride Fund is led by three philanthropists. Radhika Piramal Keshav Suri, the executive director of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and the founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation, and Parmesh Shahani, head of Godrej Dei Labs from the Godrej Industries Group. Read more about it here: https://thepridefundindia.org/about-the-pride  

Over the next few episodes we’ll be meeting the grassroots organizations who are part of the first cohort of The Pride Fund, India’s first dedicated LBTQIA+ fund launched in February 2025.  Sappho for Equality has been working to address the unique, intersectional challenges faced by lesbian, bisexual and transmasculine individual for over a quarter of a century. The organisation has evolved from an emotional support network to one that works in advocacy, public education and sensitising the police, medical professionals and the judicial system. Their repository of colloquial language writing on queer trans rights and experiences is something of immense importance and value.  You can find out more about the work of Sappho for Equality here: https://www.sapphokolkata.in/ The Pride Fund is led by three philanthropists. Radhika Piramal Keshav Suri, the executive director of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and the founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation, and Parmesh Shahani, head of Godrej Dei Labs from the Godrej Industries Group. Read more about it here: https://thepridefundindia.org/about-the-pride  

We're kicking off a new season of No-Cost Extension with a conversation with Radhika Piramal.  Radhika Piramal is one of the founding patrons of the Pride Fund India. Radhika Piramal holds several senior leadership positions in corporate India across various companies and brands and is a charity trustee holding trustee positions at Dasra UK and Give Out - an award-winning international LGBTQ Community Foundation. A leading LQBTQIA+ advocate, Radhika is one of three Indian philanthropists supporting The Pride Fund, India's first LGBTQIA+ philanthropy fund. In this episode, Deval and Radhika speak about her personal journey, the communities she sought comfort and acceptance in and the need for a Pride Fund in India today. More about The Pride Fund: Launched in February 2025, the Pride Fund is supported by three philanthropists: Radhika Piramal, Keshav Suri, the Executive Director of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and the founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation, and Parmesh Shahani, Head of the Godrej DEI Labs from the Godrej Industries Group. Reach more about it here: https://thepridefundindia.org/about-the-pride For more about No-Cost Extension Podcast and to listen to previous episodes, visit https://www.dasra.org/nce 

To coincide with the launch of the Rebuild India Fund’s 7th cohort of grassroots NGOs, entirely women led AND assessed by women leaders from within the Rebuild portfolio, we thought we would revisit conversations with power house leaders on No-Cost Extension. Our first conversation is from earlier this year, with Deepa Pawar, founder and director of the Anubhuti Trust and a member of the Rebuild India Fund Investment Committee. This is a  conversation on the contribution of women in keeping the culture of the community alive, anti-caste feminism and more. Deepa Pawar has over 22 years of experience in facilitating community-led programs and working with state and local governments on themes of youth-leadership, advocacy, mental justice, sanitation and sexual and reproductive health. Anubhuti Trust is an organization formed and self-led by women, with the intention to work with youth on developing their leadership so that there are aware and responsible youth in society who can lead change for a more just and equitable world. About #RootedinHerPower: The 7th cohort of the Rebuild India Fund is a vibrant grassroots movement for community-led resilience, a testament to the power of women’s leadership, and a step toward a future built on inclusion, empathy, and unwavering strength. Spread across 70+ districts, these women-led NGOs are championing change where it’s needed most. Follow #RootedInHerPower across social media for updates. For more information to go www.dasra.org  This episode originally aired in February 2024.