Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 7 (ANI/NewsReach): The Rotary Club of Mumbai Equivalence was formally founded on April 4, 2023, at Indian Summer, Churchgate, Mumbai, for those who identify as LGBTQ, their families, friends, and supporters, as well as for young people, women and those with disabilities. More than 35 guests physically attended the event, including Sandip Agarwalla, District Governor 3141, Malini Agarwalla, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, Founder of Lakshya Trust Globally recognized & featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Keeping Up & Cheryl Allison’s documentary Pieces of Us, Ruben Mascarenhas, National Joint Secretary – Aam Aadmi party, TEDx Speaker, and Co-founder & Director, Khaana Chahiye Foundation, Prashant Gupta, Founder & CEO of Caerus3 Advisors and Think Tank, and President of Rotary Club Bombay Peninsula, Rotarian Hussain Rassai, Unnikrishnan, Dr Mona Shah, and Assistant Governor Twinkle Sanghvi. The club’s mission is to further Rotary’s goals while building an LGBTQ+ youth community that is welcoming, varied, safe, and supportive.
Speaking at the installation of The Rotary Club of Mumbai Equivalence, Sandip Agarwalla, District Governor 3141, said, “Establishing a Rotary Club of Mumbai Equivalence is a watershed moment in Rotary’s history, vision, and mission. Our goal is to get people to join this movement. It is critical to advance every segment of society as a whole. Rotary is devoted to working in all critical sectors such as water and sanitation, environment and protection, sustainability and business empowerment, individuality and livelihoods, and so on”.
You’ll see us creating event programming soon that is specifically for the LGBTQ community. This will satisfy the varying demands of our members’ gender identities, sexual orientations, and personal interests while fostering harmony within the group. Also, we will create an extensive alumni database and use them for professional programs, such as industry panels and one-on-one mentoring. To boost LGBTQ+ recruiting pipelines, we also seek to expand our ties with premier businesses.,” said Praful Bawej, President of The Rotary Club of Mumbai Equivalence.
The Club will soon announce a partnership with various LGBT organizations, as well as volunteer and fundraising support to these organizations. One of the club’s main goals is to help LGBTQ+ youth who are experiencing homelessness, bullying, suicidal thoughts or mental health issues, family isolation, and physical, sexual, and drug abuse.
Commenting on the launch, Prashant Gupta, Founder & CEO of Caerus3 Advisors and Think Tank, and President of Rotary Club Bombay Peninsula said, “We stand by our motto, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The goal of establishing this Rotary Club of Equivalence is to provide all sections of society, including LGBT, women, youth, and differently-abled people, with the same status in possibly all respects, such as civil rights, freedom of expression, property rights, and equal access to certain social goods and social services. We hope this initiative will serve as a strong voice for society’s marginalized groups, assisting them in achieving the same pride and respect that we do for others.”
Rotarian Hussain Rassai, Avenue Chair Membership & Mentor of The Rotary Club of Mumbai Equivalence, said “This is one of the first in India and is open to the true values of rotary ethos. Fair to all, this will help bridge gaps and inclusiveness of all society”.
LGBTQ persons, women, young people, and people with disabilities who are at least 18 years old and live in Mumbai are eligible to join the club. The club will convene in Bandra every month to deliberate on the best course of action.
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