Tagged Under: My Story

  • This graphic shows a multi-coloured word cloud with an oval shape. The word cloud has been created with text from or related to the article that this graphic represents. Words and expressions used in the word cloud include ableism, access, anxiety, coronavirus, counselling, COVID-19, disabilities, distress, inclusion, lockdown, loss, mental health, new normal, pandemic, quarantine, queer, relationships, services, stress, success, trigger, war-metaphors, wellbeing, WFH (which stands for work from home), win and zoomed out. The text is presented in a typeface that somewhat jars and symbolizes stress. The text slopes upwards from left to right. The word cloud is placed on a dark background that helps the lettering standout. Graphic credit: Pawan Dhall
    May '20

    Epidemic of wins and losses over viruses (and disabilities)

    By Ishan Chakraborty

    Ishan Chakraborty opens up about multiple distresses as a person with disabilities during the coronavirus lockdown but wishes not to be crowned a ‘hero’

  • This illustration is a combination of a photograph taken during the recent 20th anniversary observations of ‘Friendship Walk ‘99’ and the logo created for the anniversary events. The events took place in Kolkata and Chandannagar on June 29-30, 2019. The photograph, taken during the ‘7th Chandannagar Rainbow Pride Walk’ (a part of the anniversary events), is that of a rainbow coloured umbrella from below its canopy. The multi-coloured and translucent canopy, along with the umbrella’s ribs, stretchers and the pole, forms interesting geometrical patterns. The photograph provides a rectangular backdrop with a horizontal orientation. The anniversary events logo is placed to the top left corner of the photograph. It consists of seven parallel VIBGYOR coloured outlines of the side profile of a human face. The outlines merge into a semi-circular and VIBGYOR coloured pattern of human footprints. Inside this roughly spherical graphic is the text “Kolkata Friendship Walk ‘99”, and all along the lower boundary of the spherical graphic is a violet and pink ribbon with the text “20th anniversary”. One can see a glimpse of the Kolkata cityscape behind the text “Kolkata Friendship Walk ‘99”. The entire logo is presented on a contrasting white background, which stands out against the backdrop photograph. Photo credit: Prosenjit Pal; logo credit: Rafiquel Haque Dowjah.
    Jul '19

    Of reflexivity and remembrance: 20 years of pride

    By Diksha Sanyal, Namrata Mukherjee

    Diksha Sanyal and Namrata Mukherjee on the 20th anniversary of ‘Friendship Walk ‘99’

  • This photograph shows the author on stage enacting an Odissi ‘abhinaya’ to a popular song ‘To Lagi Gopa Danda’. She is in a kneeling posture with the right knee touching the floor and the other folded (‘abhanga’ posture); she has her arms in a wide open stance with hands placed squarely on the knees and torso tilted to the right; her gaze is fixated to her left, away from the camera. Against a dark stage background, she looks resplendent in a deep red saree, silver ornaments and headgear traditional to the Odissi dance form. With eyes highlighted strikingly with kohl, she has a bright smile as she performs the act with grace. Photo credit: Kaushik Mukherjee
    Dec '18

    For that balancing act on stage and in life

    By Subhamita Maitra

    Subhamita Maitra on the power of dance to rejuvenate body and mind ‘Dance’ may be a small word but its impact on life can be glorious. In the Brahma Samhita, Lord...

  • This illustration is a combination of a photograph of the author Sujoy and one of his quotes extracted from the article. In the photograph (to the left of the illustration), Sujoy can be seen standing with his crutches (partially visible) against a wall covered with a climbing plant. He has his face slightly turned away from the camera, with a gentle smile and distant look in his eyes. He is wearing a full-sleeved ‘kurta’, magenta in colour. Tattoos on his chest are partially visible through the collar of the ‘kurta’. This is a day time photograph. The accompanying quote says: “Let’s talk about confidence. It may not guarantee success but may well keep you motivated towards it. It can contribute big time in bringing positivity into your lives. It was no different for me. Financial independence did boost my confidence, which helped me accept my disability and queerness. I realized if I was comfortable with myself, I could expect others to come closer.” Photo courtesy Sujoy
    Sep '18

    Awakening disabled desires

    By Sujoy

    Coming out of self-victimization helped Sujoy discover a whole new sexual world What does the word ‘queer’ mean? Odd, strange, weird, abnormal . . . And what are the popular...

  • This is a combination of two photographs, both taken at the Inclov social meet-up for people with disabilities held at a banquet hall in Lalit Great Eastern Hotel, Kolkata on January 21, 2018. The photograph on the left shows event host RJ Den introducing activist Chandrayee Dutta Chowdhury, who did a dance performance depicting the struggles of her life as a person with a disability. While RJ Den is seated in a wheelchair and is speaking holding a microphone, a smiling Chandrayee Dutta Chowdhury is standing next to him. The photograph on the right is that of an Inclov poster – the letter ‘O’ in the Inclov logo (in red colour) is replaced with a heart sign, with one side of the heart outline done in a dotted line. Below the logo is the partial picture of the top of a mobile phone with “Discover people” written to the left on the mobile screen. On the right can be seen the time on the mobile screen and a few icons found commonly in mobile phones to indicate phone connectivity. Photo credit: Prosenjit Pal
    Feb '18

    Match-making between dating and disabilities

    By Ishan Chakraborty, Prosenjit Pal

    Ishan Chakraborty narrates his experience of attending an innovative meet-up in Kolkata that aimed to help people with disabilities find friends and dates

  • Quote: The idea is to assess what impact the movements have had on people's lives nearly 25 years down the line, and if there are any lessons to be drawn for the future. At the very least the article will try to document a few micro stories of queer individuals and their allies for whatever the worth of such narratives.
    Dec '17

    Do you have a ‘queerstory’ to tell?

    By Pawan Dhall

    Pawan Dhall on a story writing venture that will record the impact of eastern India’s queer movements in the 1990s on people’s lives Friends, I'm writing an article on the...

  • Photograph shows a scene from the starting point of the ‘Hyderabad HLGBTIQ Pride 2017’ (the abbreviation stands for Hijra, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer or questioning). Half a dozen individuals (men, women and transgender women) can be seen holding the pride march banner at the starting point of the march (Krishna Kanth Park). The banner is made up of squares of cloth stitched together. Each square has its own pattern and colours, and so the entire banner is quite a colourful mosaic. Stitched on to the banner are the letters and numbers like appliqué work forming the name of the event – ‘Hyderabad HLGBTIQ Pride 2017’. There are also smaller pieces of cloth stitched on, with words like “Rohith”, “Adivasi”, “Muslim”, “Worker” and “Dalit Lives Matter’ written on them. To the right of the banner is a person holding a poster that says “LGBTQ for Radhika Vemula”. Paper rainbow flags can also be seen in the photograph. Other than those holding the pride march banner, another 15 or so people (mostly men) can be seen in the photograph, including a videographer, waiting under a bright sun for the pride march to start. Photo credit: Dr. Mukut Bhowmik.
    Apr '17

    Awakening the pride within

    By Dr. Mukut Bhowmik

    The author’s first rainbow pride march experience energized him to move out of his comfort zone. Hyderabad, February 19, 2017 would always be a red letter day for me! It...

  • Photograph shows a close shot of the Parthenium hysterophorus weed, commonly known as carrot grass or 'gajar ghans'. It grows erect, abundantly and has small white flowers. Photo credit: Yercaud Elango
    Feb '17

    How carrot grass made me sexual

    By Aakash

    Hushing up sex talk during the growing up years may not be a good idea, but neither does it help to make it all grim and humourless with countless dos...

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    Nov '16

    Little joys of childhood

    By Pallav Bonerjee

    Parents must ensure their children remain in touch with the real world – Pallav Bonerjee continues his series of personal narratives on psychology, people and destiny The word ‘childhood’ triggers...

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    Oct '16

    The boy from Patna

    By Aakash

    It was a rainy evening in Delhi – the drizzle increased the slight chill of the early October air. My mind, after the daylong torture of multiple meetings, difficult conversations,...

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