ECHO: an event, a movement, a rebellion. A place to love freely, without societal expectations or pressure. Hosted on 21st June at Flourmates Cafe & Bakery from 5 to 9 PM, the event had fun games, stalls, and activities. But it was the passionate performances that truly lit ECHO up and made it the safe, vibrant space it was.

The first performance was a song, “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. The song was meaningful to ECHO, with its title resonating the event’s message: that every individual, regardless of gender or sexuality, is perfect in their own way. The song is based on the idea of acceptance, and the song and singer made it a highlight of Echo.

Following this was another song, “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield. The song, like the previous one, was impactful through its meaningful and impactful lyrics. The entire song is focused on empowerment, self-discovery, and acceptance. Music and actions speak louder than words ever will. This song and event are proof of this statement, assuring listeners that no matter who they are, they are still human and always important.

These performances were the most important, highlighting moments of Echo. Even though the entire event was based on pride and love, these performances reinforced the idea in the minds of everyone there. Even if your idea of love is not one that aligns with societal expectations, it is still valid and real. In a country like India, where pride and even love, when expressed freely, are looked down upon, this event was a reminder to everyone that we are changing. We are adapting, accepting, and including everyone, regardless of color, race, caste, gender, and sexuality. And ECHO was just the beginning.

Written By:
-Maanya

Every June, India’s corporate landscape explodes with colour. Office lobbies hang Pride flags, companies flood social media with celebratory posts, and this year is no different. But as the glitter settled, the question lingered: Is this allyship, or just another round of rainbow-washing? Is this true, genuine pride or merely PR? Rainbow-washing refers to when brands adopt LGBTQIA+ imagery during Pride month without making meaningful, long-term commitments to the queer community. It’s a growing concern, especially in India, where Pride celebrations are still a relatively new concept in the corporate world.

A 2025 Cosmopolitan India feature exposed how LGBTQIA+ employees at major Indian firms were frustrated by surface-level support. With a queer employee at a major Mumbai firm sharing, “Pride balloons in the cafeteria, but I got misgendered every other day,” reflecting a broader pattern: vibrant displays in June, silence the rest of the year.

At ECHO, the founders did make sure to make the event deeper than just rainbows and color; they genuinely created a safe space for people to freely express themselves without having to conform to societal norms. Apart from student-led events like ECHO, there are big brands paving the way for pride beyond rainbow-washing.

Godrej hosted a Pride March led by senior leadership, nukkad nataks on gender, and a “Queer Bazaar” that gave LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs free visibility and a space to sell their work. KPMG India showcased queer films and supported Rainbow Parents, with a goal to change mindsets in and outside the office. Nasher Miles, a travel accessories brand, launched a Pride collection co-created with queer designers after conducting real consultations. These initiatives reflect what real allyship looks like: inclusive workplace policies, visible queer leadership, safe environments, and continuous, not seasonal, efforts. It also includes financial investment in LGBTQIA+ causes, collaborations with organisations, and transparency about internal DEI progress.

Why does this matter? Because shallow support is not just ineffective—it can be harmful. Performative branding during Pride, without action, leaves queer employees and consumers feeling tokenised. “If it stops at Instagram posts, it’s not allyship, it’s marketing. And we see through it.” At ECHO, this truth stood out. Amidst the buzz and branding, the most powerful moments came not from posters, but from people; from queer youth telling their stories, and partners expressing and demonstrating support The rainbow, it turns out, is not the point, it’s the people beneath it.

If corporate India wants to be part of this movement, it’s time to stop colouring in the lines and start redrawing them entirely to include all members of a diverse and vibrant community.

Written By:
-Kabeer

Queerness used to be a fight. Now it’s a trend. In the past few years, being queer has gone from taboo to Reel material. That might sound like progress, but it’s not. It’s turning identities into accessories. What used to get people beaten, bullied, and harassed is now just another hashtag to chase clout. Suddenly, everyone’s "queer" because it makes them look interesting. Influencers slap on fake labels to score followers. People say they’re bisexual because they thought a person of the same gender looked good once. It’s performative. It’s hollow. It’s insulting.

Real queer teens, kids who stay up all night wondering what’s wrong with them, scared to say it out loud, have to sit back and watch their struggle become someone else's aesthetic. Their trauma is someone else's PR strategy. The thing they cried over is now just another way to get more likes.

But it’s not just influencers. Brands are doing it too. They slap rainbows on everything in June, but the rest of the year? Silence. It’s like they think a rainbow filter is enough to show they care. But we see through it. We know when it’s real and when it’s just a marketing gimmick.

That’s why ECHO was so important. It wasn’t about making queerness cool or trendy. It was about making it real again. It was about giving space to the people who felt like they had to prove they were queer enough to be taken seriously.

That’s where Echo came in. Not with rainbow filters and fake ally speeches, but with honesty. With raw, no-nonsense truth. They gave space to the people who were called attention seekers, who were told they were “just confused.” People who felt like they had to prove they were queer enough to be taken seriously. Echo didn’t try to make queerness cool. They made it real again. They gave voice to the quiet kids. The scared kids. The angry kids. They reminded us that pride isn’t about fitting in, it’s about not giving a damn if you don’t.

Written By:
-Aadhya

When you walk through Indian history, you’ll find people shouting that queer folks are ruining “pure” Hindu culture. They call queerness a foreign mindset. They say it’s polluting the nation. But you don’t need a rainbow lens to see the truth. Being gay has always existed in India.

On your way, you’ll come across Ardhanarishvara, the androgynous form of Shiva. One side wears male jewellery, the other wears female. This form shows that male and female are inseparable, sharing one body, one spirit.

You might also feel a sharp arrow pierce your thoughts. That arrow belongs to Shikhandi, the fierce archer born female. Shikhandi asked for death and was reborn as a male by the blessings of a yaksha, to end the man who once wronged him.

These stories matter. In a time when anti-trans hate is loud, we need to hold these legends close. They remind us that queer identities aren’t unholy. They aren’t wrong. They are human. They are Indian. Today, many people want to erase that history. They want to tell queer people to hide, to change, or to stop existing. They forget that queerness is not a Western idea forced onto India; itt has always been here.

People don’t hate Pride parades because of the colours or music. They hate them because celebrating identity keeps identity alive. It makes sure queer people will never be invisible again.

When people walk hand in hand at Pride, like they did during the 2023 Delhi Pride Parade, they are writing themselves into history. They wear bright colours. They are loud, proud, and unafraid of who they have always been. When they celebrate queer joy at spaces like ECHO, they help others feel seen, even when backlash is waiting. They use their voices as a protest. They demand the right to love and live on their own terms, not on the terms set by people who refuse to understand. This creates an echo in history. That is what scares those in power the most.

So, when your feet graze the fields of Indian history, remember this. You are walking in the footprints of every queer person who came before you. Your steps will become a map for others who will follow. You don’t have to search hard to find proof that being queer is part of India. You just need to look around with your eyes open.

Let yourself love and be loved.

Because being queer has always existed in India.

And no matter what they say, it always will.

Written By:
-Gauri

For Mannat Dhodi, founder of Project Antigone, ECHO: Love Out Loud wasn’t just an event. It was the result of years of dreaming, failing, trying again, and finally, doing it. Loudly.

“There’s no one person who comes up with the ideas here,” she said. “But ECHO has lived in the back of my mind since our first fundraiser in 2023.” That fundraiser, which was a Pride-themed initiative, planted the seeds of something much bigger. This year, everything clicked: the team, the time, and the belief in what ECHO could become. The idea never really disappeared. It simply grew with the people who joined it.

Built around art, expression, and community, ECHO was shaped by creators, especially those from Antigone’s Noida team. “We’re all artists in some form,” Mannat shares. So this was our way of putting that spirit into the world.” You could see it everywhere: the handmade stalls, dress code, performances, and colour scheme. Creative instincts led the way.

Most of the stalls, partner NGOs, and collaborators were people the team had worked with before. “We’ve built trust over time, both personally and professionally, and that’s what made this come together so smoothly,” says Dhriti Aggarwal, Director of Outreach. Even within the Antigone team, everyone worked together. “There’s never much conflict. Everyone’s ideas matter. We always try to find a way to include them.” It meant juggling different cities, hectic schedules, and planning everything through late-night calls and group chats.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Selling tickets was one of the hardest parts. “People didn’t really know what to expect. But we believed in the idea. And by the time the event was near, we were sold out.” More than 200 people showed up, along with many walk-ins, all to experience what it means to love out loud.

What stayed with Mannat wasn’t just the turnout. It was the effort behind it. “People didn’t just show up. They showed up fully. Paying for tickets and still volunteering. Taking calls at 2 AM to make playlists. No camera caught that. But that’s what I’ll remember.” Those quiet, unseen hours between daily life are what turned ECHO from a plan into something real.

As she heads off to college next year, Mannat may not lead the next event, but the echoes of this one have already carried far beyond her.

Written By:
-Noor