Latest news with #Mitr
Time Out
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Top 12 new stores in Bangkok
Modern resort cool with earthy vibes, Mitr drops its new store in Siam Paragon. Decorated in soothing earth tones, the cosy space matches Mitr's chill wardrobe. Their collection features ruffles and relaxed, loose styles, plus accessories like bags, charms, belts, comfy flats and big scrunchies, which are very on-trend right now. Spotted on Lisa Blackpink playing Mook in The White Lotus series, one breezy dress even made a casual date cameo. Now you can recreate the look for your next beachy escape.
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
India's first transgender clinic in Hyderabad reopened; Tata Trusts revives facility shut after USAID froze funds
Months after Hyderabad's Mitr Clinic — India's first transgender-led health clinic — shut down following a funding freeze by USAID, the landmark facility has made a comeback albeit with a new name and renewed financial backing. Now reopened as Sabrang Clinic, the community-run healthcare centre resumed services in May 2025 with support from the Tata Trusts, confirmed Subash Ghosh, project lead of the initiative. 'Once the USAID issue happened in January, we had to shut down operations. But we reached out to several philanthropic organisations and individuals. And, now, Tata Trusts is supporting us,' Dr. Ghosh told The Hindu in an exclusive conversation. Launched in 2021 in Hyderabad's Narayanguda, Mitr Clinic broke new ground not only as a dedicated healthcare facility for transgender people, but also as the first in India to be entirely staffed and managed by trans community members . 'From doctors to clinic managers, everyone was from the community. We had seen over 3,000 patients since the clinic started, until we had to shut down,' Dr. Ghosh said. A lifeline after USAID The shutdown in January 2025 left many transgender people and other LGBTQIA+ community members without access to trusted, stigma-free healthcare. During the interim, the clinic team continued providing online consultations and medicine delivery support until new funding could be secured. That lifeline arrived in April, when the Tata Trusts committed to supporting the clinic for three years. 'We got the confirmation in April, and operations resumed from May. They have committed ₹1,500 per person per year,' said Dr. Ghosh. Under the earlier USAID programme, funding stood at ₹1,900 per person per year While the Tata Trusts now fully fund the clinic's core clinical team, senior staff positions are jointly supported by Tata and YRG Care, an NGO that was also associated with Mitr Clinic. 'We had to phase out some roles due to financial constraints, but we are actively reaching out to other donors to help us scale up again,' he added. A government-inspired model took shape before closure While Mitr Clinic was still operational, the Telangana government launched its own trans-inclusive health facilities in all the 33 districts, the Maitri Clinic, drawing on learnings from the Mitr model. 'We were already working closely with the Social Welfare Department and the Health Ministry. They took our approach forward,' said Dr. Ghosh. Though Maitri began a few months before Mitr Clinic's shutdown, both clinics coexisted briefly, each serving as a critical lifeline for the transgender and other members of LGBTQIA+ community. Although the Sabrang team considered State support, they chose to independently restart operations to avoid further delays. 'Our clinic had more than just a physical space. We had online support systems, strong community outreach, and a trust network built over years. It was important to get that back quickly,' he said. Why 'Sabrang'? The name Sabrang, meaning 'all colours', signals a more expansive vision for inclusive healthcare. 'Earlier, we focused solely on transgender communities. But now we recognise that others, especially people from different marginalised groups, including queer and gender-diverse individuals face similar barriers to healthcare,' said Dr. Ghosh. As India's first transgender-led clinic returns in a renewed form, its commitment remains unchanged: healthcare that is dignified, accessible, and community-driven. 'We have come back stronger, more inclusive, and more determined. It is still a space created by the community, only now, we are reaching more people who need it,' Dr. Ghosh said.
India.com
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet actress, single mother, who worked in over 200 films, still unmarried at 55, is now..., her name is..., Hema Malini's mother was her...
Meet actress, single mother, who worked in over 200 films, still unmarried at 55, is now..., her name is..., Hema Malini's mother was her... Shobana Chandrakumar Pillai, popularly known by her screen-name Shobana is one of the most sought-after actresses in South Indian cinema. In a career spanning over four decades, she worked in over 200 films in various languages. Moreover, she also featured opposite superstars like Nandamuri Balakrishna, Venkatesh, Chiranjeevi, Akkineni Nagarjuna, Mohan Babu, Rajendra Prasad, and many more. Shobana was introduced to films by Hema Malini's mother, Jaya Chakravarthy, who saw her while she was with her aunt, renowned actress Padmini. She started working at the mere age of 14. Soon, after making her debut with the film April 18 , she became a lead heroine in the Malayalam industry. Shobana secured two National awards, one for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in AM Fazil's Manichitrathazhu, another came in 2001 for her role in film Mitr, My Friend . She took a break from films in 2020 to focus on Bharatnatyam, and also runs her own dance school, Kalarpana in Chennai. However in 2024, she made a smashing comeback to films with Nag Ashwin's Kalki 2898 AD , starring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Deepika Padukone, and Disha Patani in prominent roles. Moreover, she is currently grabbing headlines for her reunion with Malayalam superstar, Mohanlal after 15 years, in the film Thudarum . Released on April 25, 2025, the film became a box office success, grossing Rs 236 crore globally. Despite being one of the most successful actresses, Shobana chose to remain unmarried and is still single at the age of 55. In a throwback interview as quoted by BollywoodShaadis, Shobana revealed why she never got married, 'Well, I am not particularly against the institution of marriage in anyways. I haven't found the time for it amidst my busy schedule. Maybe I haven't spotted the right guy. And for that matter, I have seen only a few marriages that work. That can also be one of the reasons.' She said. In 2011, Shobana became a single mom, as she adopted a baby girl Anantha Narayani. She prefers to keep her daughter away from the limelight, and restricted her pictures to be uploaded on any of her social media pages.
Gulf Today
28-02-2025
- Health
- Gulf Today
India's first transgender clinics close after USAID freeze
India's first three clinics for the transgender community closed last month following a stop-work order from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) that funded them, disrupting services for nearly 5,000 people, two sources said on Friday. US President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause on all foreign aid in January pending a review to ensure all projects funded with U.S. taxpayer money are aligned with his "America First" policy. Trump has repeatedly criticised what he called USAID spending $21 million on "voter turnout" in India. The Indian government said last week it was investigating. Among the main losers following the fund freeze have been three Mitr (friend) Clinics in India that are run mostly by doctors, counsellors and other workers from the transgender community and that serve up to 5,000 people, said the sources. Both declined to be named, citing the sensitivity of the matter. Trump ally Elon Musk and Republican Senator John Kennedy have both criticised the transgender funding. "That's what American tax dollars were funding," Musk said on X on Friday in response to a post about the closure of the first of the Mitr clinics, launched in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad in 2021. The other clinics are located in the western cities of Kalyan and Pune. All provided services including guidance and medication on hormone therapy, counselling on mental health as well as on HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, and legal aid, in addition to general medical care, a website for the three clinics said. Each of them needed up to Rs3 million ($34,338) a year to run and employed about eight people, said one of the sources, adding that they were looking for alternate sources of funding, public or private. Organisers of the clinics, however, have got a waiver from USAID to keep running certain life-saving activities, including providing antiretroviral medication to HIV-infected people, the sources said. Up to 10% of all clinic clients are infected by HIV, one of the sources said. "We did some really good work at Mitr Clinics," said one of the sources, a doctor. "I am proud of what we achieved there."
