Meet the Pink Pages team

Udayan, Bangalore

Editor-in-Chief

Udayan is not really comfortable with the term writer-activist. According to him, “It kind of enforces stereotypes and encourages prejudices. It’s as if a writer is someone who’s supposed to be suave, subtle and aesthetic, as opposed to the activist who’s always belligerent, loud and on-your-face. Can a good writer not be a good activist too?” Struggling to be just that, Pink Pages, therefore was a way of bringing together these two diverse identities within himself, as well as of so many of his LGBT friends from across India.

udayan@pink-pages.co.in

Tushar M, Manipal

Associate Editor

Tushar has been associated with Pink Pages for about a year now. Apart from his editorial duties, he loves to go out of his way to chase stories, get interviews, and bring to all of you the best in content that the Indian LGBT scene has to offer – literary, entertainment, personals, interviews, and of course current affairs. “Being involved with the magazine is my own small way of giving back to my community, and to help result in a better informed younger generation” says Tushar.

Harish Iyer, Mumbai

Harish has two films inspired by his life – Onir’s “I Am” (Abhimanyu)”, Ranadeep and Judhajit’s “Amen” , a biography – “Aham”and an autobiography “So Be It” and a number of documentaries/media mentions he has lost count of. Not many have the guts and the gumption to live life truly “out of the closet” like he does. He is an active voice for an ensemble of social causes – LGBT happens to be just one amongst them. An avid twitterer, blogger and FB, out, about and aloud. Harish Iyer is an inspiration for many, yet affable and approachable. To know more about him Tweet up with him at @hiyer and miss not his #hiyerquotes or simply google him.

Vikram Tyagi, Delhi

It’s within the realms of this ‘language’ that Vikram explore lives and objects around him. As a Pink-Pages member and an Advertising Professional, he is keen on changing society’s perception towards the LGBT community. “I believe the essence of this world lies in its diversity. It’s about time we all must start acknowledging it.”

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Asiya Islam, London

Asiay is currently a student finishing her Masters in Gender, Media and Culture from the London School of Economics. Before London, she stayed all my life in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh and did her Bachelors from Aligarh Muslim University. “To add a bit more, my favourite t-shirt reads ‘This is what a feminist looks like’ and I also like to call myself an LGBT rights activist which should pretty much explain my excitement in being a part of the Pink Pages team!”

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Kishore Kumar, Pune

Twenty two-year old. Male. Reads poetry, literature, philosophy. Writes some. Criticises a lot. Madly in love with life and all that it entails. Eccentric. Creative. Meek. Manic-depressive. Sufi. Cosmic accident.

Writes for the Literature Section in Pink Pages. Believes that philosophers, mystics, writers and artists are the cutting edge of civilisation, capable of determining the course of history, including gay rights. Also believes that Calvin and Hobbes is a philosophical text. Go figure!

Priya Ganoo, Mumbai

Priya is an occasional writer and sports buff. Gluttony is her favorite sin and Rafael Nadal her favorite tennis player. Priya is passionate about many things but chess and action films are not two of them. Rainbow is her favorite color followed by yellow. Born and brought up in a hot and humid Mumbai – which is getting warmer by the minute – has her convinced that air conditioners are god’s greatest gift to humankind, after women of course. She often spends her spare time writing for Pink Pages and a few other publications around the country.

Ananya, Delhi

Ananya is an engineering student, currently living in Delhi. She has been a part of the Pink Pages team since its first issue. An enthusiastic queer student activist of QuuerCampus India, she takes interviews and writes activism-related articles for the magazine. She also contributes movie/book reviews for the magazine.

Ratnesh, Bangalore

According to Ratnesh, it’s a magazine which shows the other face of life that is yet to be observed. Sees Pink Pages as the mirror of the Indian GLBT arena, helping who are in the process of coming out to identify themselves. Has a big collection of queer movies, series and similar stuff, writes critiques for the same. Recently started with queer photography.

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Imtiaz Akhtar, Kolkata

“Politically speaking, I situate myself some where between Socialism and Anarchism. Religiously speaking, I am a neat Atheist who thoroughly despises these god fearing creatures for me nothing could be more vile then these muddle headed people. Philosophically speaking, I am composed of multitude of contradictory ideas which quarrel among themselves and give me bad headache. Historically speaking, I am born in a pessimistic-age hence optimism for me is a matter of creed. I am dogmatic when it comes to believing in the words like ‘hope’, ‘change’. Honestly speaking, I always have my own agendas that I push whether it is my work that I produce or my life as I live.”

Imtiaz has always believed that any change that we seek to established has to be tackled at various levels. The issue of homosexuality is not merely a legal issue it has a cultural aspect that we cannot ignore. The myths have to be destroyed and lies have to be exposed. “Pink Pages as I understand is trying to do exactly that. It is trying to enter the domain of culture and challenge the thousand one lies that are uttered by ‘ normal’ people.”

Sourendra Kumar Das, Mumbai

The author is a journalist with The Asian Age, Mumbai Bureau and a student of English Literature in Mumbai University. He was born and brought up in Kolkata, and started his career in writing with The Telegraph, Kolkata Bureau in 2005. He has been writing on gender and sexuality for last five years. Sourendra lives with his partner in Mumbai, and writes poetries during his leisure time. “Pink Pages is one of the best online magazines in India, and it is my deepest pleasure to be a part of the publication. I feel if I write more on gay issues, someone somewhere who does not have many gay friends or a strong LGBT support network, would be able to relate my stories to his life. Even if my writing can bring smile to one gay man’s face, my worth as a writer will be proven through my column in Pink Pages…”

Sambhav Sharma, Delhi

Sambhav is pursuing graduation in English honors from D.U. “I am honest and completely out in every aspect of my life.” He’s a big foodie and loves his Indian culture. “I want to see and bring change to other people’s life. I love Pink Pages because it is the first national LGBT media platform to express my say to the world” he says.

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Sharath, Bangalore

Sharath is authentically himself and comfortable in his own skin. He’s immune to life’s rules and believes in scripting his own life, loves going after what he wants in life and achieving it . “Fun is what life is supposed to be and I try and make sure that happens” he says. And that’s one of the reasons why he’ll be regularly bringing Pink Pages’ readers the latest from the world of life and lifestyle.

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Karan Sood, Bhopal

Karan Sood is an under graduate student from the city of Bhopal. Technically, an aspiring engineer and by default, a freelance writer working mostly on relation and romance genre as a prefect cancerian. He writes for the entertainment section of Pink Pages, mostly for reviewing LGBT themed motion pictures; and looks forward for working over the upcoming fiction special issues of the magazine.

Shiva Prasad, Hyderabad

Shiva is here to garnish some gay gyan. “I see Pink Pages as a great portal to express my ideas. Quite affirmative that as a team we would create quality work and prove the mettle of the community to the world. I am also the in-house medical consultant here, so you can always approach me with your health issues.”

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Shashank, Bhopal

“I’m really not funny, I’m just mean and bitchy and people think I’m joking”, says Shashank, a 21 year old guy from the city of lakes, pursuing his bachelors as an electronics engineer. “I’ve come a long way as who I am! The youngest in my family, a painter by profession and a would be, writer, lyricist & singer and vocalist and what not. I believe in standing up for myself. Pink Pages to me is the best way so far to come out for our community (at-least its something new for people in my city), the thing that makes it special and different is that its not only revolving around the sexuality and other prototypes (no doubt that is damn important for all of us!!) but along with it it, keeps us updated on what’s happening around the globe in terms of fashion, food, writing and so much more. I personally find it the best medium to come out and stand up for myself..!”

Sutirtho Ganguly, Arizona

Sutirtho is a 27 year old master’s student at the University of Arizona, Tucson. He had been a software engineer in Bangalore prior to pursuing higher studies. His primary interests are in travelling, writing and Indian music. He also likes to socialize through Orkut/Facebook and has a huge circle of friends around the world. Sutirtho has significantly contributed to gay literature over the last three years through his stories and articles in various magazines, blogs and networking sites. His stories deal with emotions, love, lust and controversial issues like Pedophilia.

Arijit Chandra, Kanpur

Arijit works in the contruction industry and is a huge fan of movies with exceptional themes as well as of the romantic genre. Also he loves reading gay fiction. He writes reviews of LGBT themed books and movies for Pink Pages.

Ahana Banerjie, Kolkata

Ahana is a pre-operated male to female transsexual girl from Kolkata, is a writer-cum-columnist for various online magazines, and writes on various issues from social to fashion. She is still in her transition and aspires to become a woman someday through sex re-assignment surgery (SRS). She has worked with leading newspaper organisations in the country, namely The Times of India, The Hindustan Times and The New Indian Express, during her days as a student at a college in New Delhi. After graduation, she had worked as an Executive (Communication Coach) in leading BPOs at Delhi and Gurgaon.

Hadi Hussain, Lahore

Hadi Hussain is a Lahore based Human Rights Activist with a focus on LGBTQI issues, a writer, a social researcher, a counselor and a feminist. An imperfect man who is proud of his imperfections.