Pride@Godrej 2025: Beyond Symbolism, Empowering LGBTQIA+ Voices and Businesses
The Group recently hosted a vibrant Pride March at its headquarters, Godrej One, led by Manish Shah, Managing Director of Godrej Capital, and joined by senior leaders across the organization. This march was a powerful demonstration of solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community, including Godrej's queer employees in India and globally, alongside their allies.
A key highlight of Pride@Godrej 2025 was the launch of Queer Directions—a pioneering publishing imprint in collaboration with Westland Books, dedicated to amplifying queer voices and narratives. The event began with the Pitch Bazaar, where over a dozen unpublished queer writers connected with publishers and media professionals. In parallel, a Queer Bazaar showcased products from queer-owned small businesses, fostering visibility and economic opportunities.
The celebration culminated in a delightful performance of Jhumkewali, a play supported by Godrej Properties Limited, which explores themes of lesbian first love and self-discovery set in the 1970s. Performed in multiple Indian languages, the play embodied the event's inclusive ethos, celebrating the intersection of queerness with India's linguistic and cultural diversity.
This day-long celebration seamlessly blended culture, conversation, and community through thoughtfully curated experiences.
"What excites me most about this celebration is how we moved beyond just rainbow flags to create real opportunities," said Parmesh Shahani, Head of the Godrej DEI Lab and author of Queeristan. "When queer writers feel confident enough to pitch their stories to industry professionals, when small queer businesses get a platform to showcase their work, that's when you know inclusion is working. We are not just talking about diversity; we are actively creating pathways for queer voices to thrive."
"The launch of Queer Directions represents our belief that great stories deserve great platforms," said Karthika V.K., Publisher at Westland Books. "This isn't just about publishing—it's about ensuring that authentic queer narratives find their rightful place in Indian literature and reach readers who need to see themselves reflected in books."
Throughout June, the Group companies will engage in a series of impactful Pride-focused initiatives, moving beyond symbolic gestures to drive meaningful change. Godrej Properties is celebrating Pride Month across its zones with Pride marches, storytelling sessions, inclusive workshops, and creative activities such as art contests and wall painting. Godrej Capital is fostering inclusion through events at Pride@Godrej One, including Nukkad Nataks, allyship panels, LGBTQIA+ hiring drives, and wellness programs. Godrej Consumer Products is leading QueeRising 2025, a global campaign celebrating queer identity through conversations, connections, and inspiring change. Godrej Chemicals is championing Pride Month with awareness campaigns and LGBT+ sensitization workshops, while Godrej Agrovet Limited is organizing employee workshops focused on workplace allyship.
This year too, a Pride flag and other queer-affirming signage have sparked meaningful conversations among employees and visitors alike, reflecting the organization's evolving commitment to visibility, dialogue, and genuine inclusion.
About the Godrej DEi Lab
The Godrej DEI Lab empowers inclusion ecosystems both within and outside the Godrej Industries Group.
www.godrejdeilab.com
About Godrej Industries Group
Godrej Industries Ltd. is the holding company of the Godrej Industries Group (GIG). We are privileged to serve over 1.1 billion consumers globally through our businesses with market leadership positions in the consumer products, real estate, agriculture, financial services and chemicals industries.
www.godrejindustries.com
About Westland Books
Westland Books is an award-winning Indian publisher with a diverse and exciting range of books from popular and literary fiction to business, politics, biography, spirituality, popular science, health and self-help. Its key publishing imprints include Context, Ekadā, Tranquebar, Westland Sport, Westland Business, IndiePress, IF and Red Panda.
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2709686/GODREJ_Pride_March.jpgLogo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2561817/5367444/Godrej_Industries_Group_Logo.jpg
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/pridegodrej-2025-beyond-symbolism-empowering-lgbtqia-voices-and-businesses-302480189.html
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
In pictures: Thousands turn out for Pride parade
Hundreds of people danced through the streets of Brighton as thousands more lined the route of the Pride community parade on Saturday morning. Groups from across the city as well as emergency services, charities and sports teams dressed in their best rainbow colours and greeted those waving flags and cheering them on. The parade kicks off a weekend of Pride celebrations including Pride on the Park, headlined by Mariah Carey, and the Pride Street Party in Marine Parade. Led out by a large, flowing pride flag, intricate floats and costumes filled the parade, which began in Hove Lawns. The procession of people along Brighton seafront was soundtracked by samba and steel drums as well floats with speakers roaring out pop anthems. The parade weaved its way through the city centre before turning towards the London Road area of the city and Preston Park, where the Pride on the Park concert takes place. Crowds flock to city for Brighton Pride Why Mariah Carey is such a big deal for Pride Pride pioneer to receive honorary doctorate Revellers later dispersed across the city to celebrate the occasion, the biggest on the city's social calendar. Brighton Pride continues on Sunday, with events across the city. Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. More on this story Brighton Pride 2025: All you need to know Why Mariah Carey is such a big deal for Pride Related internet links Brighton Pride
Engadget
17 hours ago
- Engadget
A terrific 2D Ninja Gaiden, housefly bucket lists and other new indie games worth checking out
Welcome to our latest recap of what's going on in the indie game space. A bunch of new games dropped this week that are more than worthy of your attention, including a modern take on an old-school Ninja Gaiden side-scroller and a joyful (perhaps even profound) puzzler about the life of a housefly. By far the biggest story in indie games over the last few weeks concerns payment processors pressuring the likes of Steam owner Valve and Itch to remove or de-index games that feature adult, NSFW and LGBTQIA+ themes. Under the guise of helping to protect women and children, an conservative activist group in Australia has taken credit for the delistings, as well as stricter rules regarding adult-themed games that Steam and Itch have implemented. But some affected developers suggest this is a smokescreen to push forward an agenda of anti-LGBTQIA+ censorship. This week, Engadget senior editor Jess Conditt spoke with solo developer Cara Cadaver of Final Girl Games about the impact of the censorship campaign. Valve permanently banned Cadaver's new game, VILE: Exhumed , from Steam for allegedly depicting "sexual content with depictions of real people," though the developer says that assessment is inaccurate. While Cadaver and publisher DreadXP are working on alternative distribution for VILE: Exhumed , Steam is the go-to marketplace for many PC gamers and the ban cuts off what surely would have been a critical source of revenue for the game. For its part, Itch has started reindexing free adult-themed games on its platform. The company has relied on Stripe and Paypal for processing payments. It has suspended payments via Stripe for 18+ content and it's talking to other potential payment partners "that are more willing to work with this kind of content." In any case, payment processors should not be the arbiters of morality, and they certainly should not be helping activists restrict access to perfectly above-board works of art. One other piece of news that caught my eye this week is about a game jam that's taking place this month. Participants will have just over three weeks to make games based on real-life investigative reporting. According to Global Game Jam, the teams will gain access to exclusive reporting on organized crime and corruption from around the world and be able to ask journalists behind those stories questions about their work. It's a fascinating idea, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what the developers that get involved come up with. New releases Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is what I like to call a 'hell yeah" game. There are few purer joys than getting about 15-20 minutes into a new game and thinking 'hell yeah, this rules.' Even better, that feeling lasted through the other four hours or so I spent with Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound . This is a throwback 2D hack-and-slash platformer from The Game Kitchen — the studio behind the Blasphemous series — and publisher Dotemu, which is building quite the reputation for itself as a purveyor of retro-style games ( Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge , the upcoming Marvel Cosmic Invasion ). Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound looks and sounds sumptuous, with gorgeous pixel art and stellar level, character and audio design. It's got combat that's somehow both sticky and slick, and it's challenging without being too frustrating. I've had a tremendous time with this one, which, if memory serves me correct, is the first Ninja Gaiden game I've played. I can't really find any notable faults with Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound . It's well worth checking out. It's out now on Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch. Here's another 'hell yeah" game. I've been looking forward to Time Flies ever since I clapped eyes on it during a Day of the Devs showcase a couple of years ago. You play as a fly and the goal is to check off a bucket list of items before the insect perishes (their lifespan equates to the average life expectancy of a country of your choosing but in seconds). It's a clever, funny and slightly rude — in a playful, Thank Goodness You're Here sort of way — blend of exploration and puzzle game that makes a strong case as to why we should make the most of our limited time. It's a short game, as it took me about 90 minutes to roll credits. That's pretty much the ideal length for this one. The controls are simple (only a D-pad, pause button and a way to call up the bucket list are required) and the aesthetic, which features hand-drawn art, is delightfully low-key too. In fact, this would be a perfect fit for the Playdate, which just happens to come from Panic, the publisher of Time Flies . For now, though, you can check out this lovely little game from the team at Playables on Steam, PS5 and Nintendo Switch. Whatnot Games released the 1.0 version Star Racer on Steam this week after over a year of early access. This is a retro racer very much in the vein of the F-Zero series that features local multiplayer (here's hoping for online multiplayer at some point) and music from Grant Kirkhope of Banjo-Kazooie and GoldenEye 007 fame. You can also create your own tracks and share them with others online. I love the launch trailer for Star Racer , which blends gameplay with '80s-style animation. I also adore that — per Rock Paper Shotgun — one of the characters is a "detective-looking fella called Thrash Whiplash." If that's not in the running for the best video game character name of the 2020s, we're all going to need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. We have yet another flavor of pretty, retro-tinged pixel art this week thanks to developers Ancient Corporation and Bitwave Games, as well as publisher Limited Run Games. Their 16 bit-style shoot-'em-up Earthion landed on Steam this week. It features music from legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro ( Streets of Rage, ActRaiser, Shenmue and many more games). That probably should not come as a huge shock given that he co-founded Ancient. Earthion is also slated to hit consoles starting in September. Being a Limited Run title, physical editions are of course on the way for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch. Expect those later this year. A physical version is also expected for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive in 2026. Surgent Studios went in a completely different direction for its follow-up to its well-received Metroidvania from last year, Tales of Kenzera: Zau . Its latest project (released with the help of the publishing arm of Palworld creator Pocketpair), Dead Take , is a first-person psychological horror about an actor who is looking for a friend who has vanished after a Hollywood party. There's top-tier videogame acting talent here, with Neil Newbon (Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3 ) and Ben Starr (Clive Rosfield in Final Fantasy XVI ) taking on the lead roles, and a litany of other well-known performers — from Laura Bailey to Sam Lake — also making appearances. That cast alone makes this worthy of attention. Dead Take is out now on Steam and the Epic Games Store. It feels like we've been waiting forever for Hobbit life sim Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game to drop and, following some delays, it's now available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and Steam. (This is now technically an indie game because Take-Two sold off publisher Private Division last year.) I love games that tell you exactly what they're about in their title and A Game About Digging A Hole sure is one of those. You dig a hole, find buried goodies, and sell them to help you buy better gear. Developer DoubleBee and publishers Rokaplay and Headup brought this exploration game to iOS and Android this week after a hugely successful debut on Steam earlier this year. A Game About Digging A Hole has now sold more than 1 million copies. Perhaps you're looking for a different digging game to check out this weekend. In that case, Mashina may be worth considering. The titular character is a robot that searches for valuable minerals to help repair and expand her community. Mashina can also use the minerals to build machines that can help with her digs, while she can use items she stumbles upon for base decoration. Developers Jack King-Spooner and Talha Kaya (who previously released Judero ) used traditional stop-motion techniques to animate Mashina . This charming-looking puzzle/exploration game is now available on Steam. Let's wrap up this section with a short, experimental game about anxiety. A Dream About Parking Lots has been out on Steam for a few months and the aptly named Interactive Dreams (with the help of Take It Studio!) brought it to PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch this week. It's said to be based on real dreams and will see you looking for your car among parking lots and mazes while chatting with a therapist. Upcoming Wander Stars — from Paper Castle Games and publisher Fellow Traveller — was supposed to be arriving this week, but the developers have pushed the release date back until September 19. The team wants to carry out some changes to improve the game following feedback from an open beta. I really like the look of this one, and though turn-based combat isn't usually my cup of tea, I'm very intrigued by the system that's in use here. You'll find and combine words into phrases that convert into devastating attacks. There are more than 200 words and they have cooldowns, so combining them in smart ways will be a key to success. Using words "with honor" can seemingly help you unlock more useful phrases too. Very curious to see how all of that works in practice. We'll get a better idea next month, when Wander Stars lands on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC. Speaking of games with a killer look, a gameplay trailer for I Hate This Place hooked me in this week. This is an isometric survival horror game that pulls from the visual stylings of its comic book origins. Crafting is vital here, both in terms of your arsenal and strengthening your shelter before nightfall. This stylish title from Rock Square Thunder and publisher Broken Mirror Games is bound for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch later this year. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
What's planned for Pride month in Ottawa this August
With August being Pride month, there is no shortage of events around Ottawa celebrating the breadth of the 2SLGBTQ+ culture and experience. This year, Capital Pride is doing its big parade event on Aug. 24. on Elgin and Laurier streets. In addition to that, other groups are holding their own events throughout the month. The following list is organized by date but it is not comprehensive; there are many events throughout the city and organizers near you may be planning celebrations. Love in a Dangerous Time: Canada's LGBT Purge Date: Aug. 1-31. Hosted by: National Arts Centre. Love in a Dangerous Time: Canada's LGBT Purge is a pop-up exhibit by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. It examines a period known as "the Purge," when the Canadian government instigated, harassed and expelled 2SLGBTQ+ members of the armed forces from the 1950s to the 1990s. The event is free. Afternoon Tea Dance Date: Aug. 3. Hosted by: Homo Phono and The Grove. Afternoon Tea Dance, held by Homo Phone, is an event inspired by tea dance events organized in the American gay community originating in New York in the 1950s and 1960s. The original dances included tea services rather than alcohol as it was illegal to serve alcohol to queer and transgender people, organizers of this event explain in the description. Masks are mandatory for this event, which is also substance-free and sober friendly. Queer Bike Club Backpacking Trip Date: Aug. 9-10. Hosted by: Queer Bike Club. Queer Bike Club Ottawa is doing a weekend bike packing trip to Merrickville, Ont. It will be a 55-kilometre overnight trip to the Merrickville lock station. There is a sign up deadline of Aug. 4. The group also has other events running in August, including a social ride from Strathcona Park to Rockcliffe Park on Aug. 18. Annual Pride Coffee House Date: Friday, Aug. 15. Hosted by: Tungasuvvingat Inuit and the Inuuqatigiit Centre. The Annual Pride Coffee House is a way for Inuit 2SLGBTQ+ people and allies to come together as a community for Pride. There's a call-out for performers to accompany the food and beverages that guests will enjoy. It's a free event but guests are asked to register if they plan to join the fun. Pride Family Picnic Date: Saturday, Aug. 16. Hosted by: Centre33. The Pride Family Picnic will be held in Kanata by a community organization that hosts year-round 2SLGBTQ+ programming. It's specifically targeted at families, so there will be plenty to keep kids — and their parents — entertained. Beach Bums Tournament Date: Saturday, Aug. 16. Hosted by: Pride Capital Volleyball. Pride Capital Volleyball is a community group of volleyball enthusiasts of all skill levels. It regularly hosts youth and adult drop-in games, plus several leagues for competitive players. Its special tournament in August is called Beach Bums and is aimed at "intermediate/advanced" players in teams of four. If you want to play, there's a registration fee and you'll need to confirm your roster by early August. Spectators are also encouraged to turn out to support the players. Pride Night Market Date: Saturday, Aug. 16. Hosted by: Little Jo Berry's and Venus Envy Ottawa. Pride Night Market will be held at the Parkdale Market and will feature over 60 small business vendors selling snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, art, and other products. On-leash dogs are welcome and the event will feature live music from local queer performers. Halo-Halo: All-Asian Drag Fiesta Date: Sunday, Aug. 17. Hosted by: Saboroso Bistro and DragSilog Collective. Halo-Halo: All-Asian Drag Fiesta is an event organized by DragSilog Collective, which holds events aiming to celebrate and uplift voices of queer people of colour. The event will celebrate queer Asian joy and diversity along with hot Filipino food. Dinner starts at 4:30 p.m. and the event starts at 5 p.m. ElderQueers (2SLGBTQIA+) Storytelling Workshop Date: Aug. 18-22. Hosted by: National Arts Centre. ElderQueers is a workshop event lead by actress Mary Ellen MacLean where attendees can work on their storytelling skills over the course of five sessions. Participants may use movement, puppets, music and the stories they tell can be serious, comic, or both. Tickets cover all five workshop sessions. Queers & Beers Date: Thursday, Aug. 21. Hosted by: Queering613 and Overflow Brewing. Queers & Beers is exactly what it sounds like: a party at a craft brewery with live music. This year, you can expect to see Montreal DJ BLK PRL (aka Sandy Duperval) and Ottawa-born musician OK Naledi. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and performances start at 8 p.m. You can get tickets online or at the door. Street Festival Date: Aug. 23-24. Hosted by: Capital Pride. The 2025 edition of the annual Capital Pride street festival will feature community organizations, political groups, and a craft fair. Drag & Balls Date: Saturday, Aug. 23. Hosted by: OQSL and Bruce House. Drag & Balls is an annual charity softball event organized to support Bruce House, a local organization which helps people in Ottawa living with HIV and AIDS. The event includes a drag softball game and party. /this year's theme is Drag & Balls: Disco Inferno, so guests will be treated to "fierce" '70s fashion and "groovy tunes" hosted by Ottawa's DJ POWRHAUS. Bliss Date: Saturday, Aug. 23. Hosted by: Lez Go and Queen St. Fare. If you're into Ottawa's lesbian scene, you might be familiar with Lez Go: a group of "lesbian+" people that hosts community events for its members. This Pride month, you can attend its Bliss party at Queen St. Fare in downtown Ottawa. The festivities start around 7:30 p.m., and its website says you can expect a raffle, designated singles tables and performers like Rachelle Behrens and Rëa. Ottawa Dyke March Date: Saturday, Aug. 23. Hosted by: Ottawa Dyke March. The Ottawa Dyke March will be held the day before Capital Pride's Pride Parade, by a community group of the same name which describes itself as "devoted to creating spaces for dykes and their families, friends and allies." It will start at Minto Park that afternoon and end with a community gathering with food, face painting and other activities. Pride Square Dance Date: Saturday, Aug. 23. Hosted by: Ottawa Date Squares The Ottawa Date Squares is a local square dancing group that hosts events throughout the year. If you're in the mood to shake your feet this Pride Month, consider attending their Pride Dance. This free event welcomes participants with any level of experience and doesn't require you to bring a partner. They teach you everything you need to know and let the music take it from there. Pride Parade Date: Sunday, Aug. 24. Hosted by: Capital Pride. The Pride Parade, held annually by Capital Pride, will take place on the first day of its two-day festival. Dozens of local groups march in the parade and everyone is invited to watch the spectacle. Drag Bingo Date: Sunday, Aug. 31. Hosted by: Hammond Golf and Broken Stick Brewery. A few kilometres east of Ottawa, the Hammond Golf and Country Club is hosting a drag bingo event, hosted by drag artist and former Ms. Capital Pride, Devona Coe. Admission includes four rounds of bingo with four cards per round. Funds raised will be donated to Family Services Ottawa's Around the Rainbow program, according to the website.
