About
the Fellowship
The Queer India Fellowship (QIF) is a 12-month leadership programme to advance India’s future queer leaders. Each year, the fellowship will identify a cohort of young queer leaders that will collectively lead our present and future. The fellows will do so in their capacity either as individuals or in the organisations they run, or as a talent pool for other organisations.
QIF will enable and encourage queer leadership across diverse fields, especially those where such leadership has remained historically invisible and underrepresented. It will help young queer people to tap into the rising interest within the public sector to engage with LGBTQIA+ communities, and connect LGBTQIA+ communities to engage with the private sector, with healthcare and education, and more.
QIF will add to the momentum for social acceptance, legal reforms, and equity for queer Indians, and to support the visibility and dignity of queer Indian leadership in the mainstream.
The Godrej DEI Lab, which works to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion within Godrej Industries and beyond, and the Godrej Foundation, an independent philanthropic trust which works towards building a more progressive, prosperous India, are partnering on QIF. QIF’s work is rooted in both the Godrej DEI Lab’s vision of equity and the Godrej Foundation’s theory of change.
Structure and
Timeline
The fellowship is designed to support queer leaders at a critical turning point in their lives, targeting individuals who are already emerging as changemakers in their early careers but are experiencing an inflection point – a period of self-reflection, doubt, or re-evaluation about their direction and impact. Through the fellowship, participants explore their values, clarify their purpose, and connect their inner motivations with the external change they want to create. This process will help them to build early momentum through visible projects, gain confidence and credibility, and eventually reach a growth stage where they influence ecosystems, institutions, and policies. Ultimately, the journey culminates in a legacy inflection point, where leaders reflect on their life’s work and support the development of the next generation of queer leaders.
Over the course of the year of their fellowship, this cohort will receive mentorship from global leaders, across diverse fields, including business and entrepreneurship, management, policy, diplomacy, governments, academia, entrepreneurship, social justice, culture and queer activism. We envision that fellows will become change agents in different fields, while also learning from each other’s unique experiences. Following the duration of their fellowship, each cohort will join a wider network of peers, alumni, and mentors for life.
For 12 months, starting from August 2026 through July 2027, Queer India fellows will engage in extensive coursework, workshops, and sessions across four pillars of the fellowship – Queerness in Context, Transformative Leadership, Impact Journey, and Community Bonding.
The fellowship will have three in-person components in Mumbai – one week of residential training and workshop, a three-day mid-fellowship retreat, and a three-day closing component as part of Pride 2027. The remaining duration of the fellowship will be conducted online, chiefly through weekend sessions; and asynchronously, through self-study and work.
The structure of the fellowship will be a combination of in-person residential training, online sessions, and immersion experiences in cities that are vibrant hubs of queer cultures in India.
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Queerness in
ContextThrough the first pillar, ‘Queerness in Context,’ the fellows explore queer identities and experiences in India through lenses such as history, law, culture, and lived experiences, including interactions with prominent queer leaders.
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Transformative
LeadershipThe second pillar, ‘Transformative Leadership,’ focuses on developing leadership at the levels of self, community, and society and the world; emphasising care, adaptability, communication, advocacy, feedback, constraints, and tools such as SWOT and design thinking, along with engagement with senior leaders and inclusive workplaces.
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Impact
JourneyThe third pillar is the ‘Impact Journey,’ an individual project every fellow will complete during the fellowship. Each fellow will define a key problem, conduct research with mentorship support, and present outcomes and future action plans.
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Community
BondingThrough the fourth pillar of ‘Community Bonding,’ the fellowship will create spaces for reflection, shared experiences, and relationship-building, including immersive in-person experiences of queer culture through visits and activities in Mumbai.
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Queerness in
ContextThrough the first pillar, ‘Queerness in Context,’ the fellows explore queer identities and experiences in India through lenses such as history, law, culture, and lived experiences, including interactions with prominent queer leaders.
-
Transformative
LeadershipThe second pillar, ‘Transformative Leadership,’ focuses on developing leadership at the levels of self, community, and society and the world; emphasising care, adaptability, communication, advocacy, feedback, constraints, and tools such as SWOT and design thinking, along with engagement with senior leaders and inclusive workplaces.
-
Impact
JourneyThe third pillar is the ‘Impact Journey,’ an individual project every fellow will complete during the fellowship. Each fellow will define a key problem, conduct research with mentorship support, and present outcomes and future action plans.
-
Community
BondingThrough the fourth pillar of ‘Community Bonding,’ the fellowship will create spaces for reflection, shared experiences, and relationship-building, including immersive in-person experiences of queer culture through visits and activities in Mumbai.
Timeline of the Queer India Fellowship
2026-27
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April 2026
Applications go live
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June 2026
Applications close
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July 2026
Interviews scheduled for fellowship applicants
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August 2026
Onboarding and orientation of the first cohort (online)
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September 2026
Residential training in Mumbai (one week)
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October 2026 to January 2027
Online sessions continue
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February 2027
Mid-fellowship retreat in Mumbai (three days)
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March to April 2027
Online sessions continue
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May 2027
Project submission for first cohort
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June 2027
Final session in Mumbai (three days)
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July 2027
Closing session for the first cohort (online)
Fellowship Curriculum
The curriculum will include a reading list and multimedia resources curated by the DEI Lab and Godrej Foundation teams, and queer leaders, resource persons, and fellowship mentors. As part of the curriculum, fellows will also engage in community building, reflection, and collaborative activities. Some of the themes for our curriculum and projects are below:
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Queerness in
ContextIn this pillar, the fellows will explore queerness through lenses such as policy, law, economics, art, culture, and histories while grounding their understanding in intersectionality in practice.
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Transformative
LeadershipIn this pillar, fellows will explore transformative leadership across the self, workplace, community, and global ecosystems, with a focus on queer-inclusive practices and the ethics of care.
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Impact
JourneyIn this pillar, fellows will learn about research, storytelling, and strategic communications, alongside the use of data, technology, and AI which will aid them in their personal projects.
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Community
BondingIn this pillar, fellows will work towards community bonding with a focus on mental health and self-care, alongside exploring community-led interventions.
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Queerness in
ContextIn this pillar, the fellows will explore queerness through lenses such as policy, law, economics, art, culture, and histories while grounding their understanding in intersectionality in practice.
-
Transformative
LeadershipIn this pillar, fellows will explore transformative leadership across the self, workplace, community, and global ecosystems, with a focus on queer-inclusive practices and the ethics of care.
-
Impact
JourneyIn this pillar, fellows will learn about research, storytelling, and strategic communications, alongside the use of data, technology, and AI which will aid them in their personal projects.
-
Community
BondingIn this pillar, fellows will work towards community bonding with a focus on mental health and self-care, alongside exploring community-led interventions.
The themes will be taught by leaders, mentors and resource persons from the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as allies actively championing inclusion. We will also collaborate with partners internally within Godrej Industries, as well as externally, with our growing network of LGBTQIA+-affirmative leaders and institutions.
In the ‘Queerness in Context’ pillar, the fellows will engage with frameworks such as DEI within the Indian Constitution and study queer inclusion across workplaces in corporations, as well as philanthropy and the social sector. The pillar also highlights the importance of queer allyship, building awareness of queer finance, and pathways for economic inclusion.
In the ‘Transformative Leadership’ pillar, fellows will build skills in design and structured thinking, emotional and social awareness, and strategic action, including problem-solving, execution, and navigating constraints. The curriculum also covers influencing and stakeholder engagement, conflict negotiation, feedback, and tools for management, alongside concepts like theory of change, measuring impact, and culture as a leadership lever, enabling fellows to practice collective leadership and drive collaborative change.
In ‘Impact Journey’ pillar, the fellows’ project will address a pressing challenge faced by the queer community. It should propose a clear problem, a solution-oriented approach, and an outline of key steps and timeline, and express the ideas creatively across formats.
In the ‘Community Bonding’ pillar, fellows will engage in reflective and collaborative activities that strengthen connection, while also visiting important sites and spaces of queer history and joy, such as the Shrine of Jamali Kamali in Mehrauli, a Queer Directions gathering in Mumbai, and enjoy a play about queer history.
Fellowship Team
Meet the folks behind the scenes
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Omar is a problem-solver and former member of the leadership team at Godrej Consumer Products Limited.
Omar Momin (he/him)
Head, Godrej Foundation
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Parmesh Shahani is an award-winning author, culture curator and LGBTQ inclusion activist who presently heads the Godrej DEI Lab.
Parmesh Shahani (he/him)
Head, Godrej DEI Lab
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Supriya is a journalist and editor. She works with the Godrej Foundation as well as the Godrej DEI Lab.
Supriya Nair (she/her)
Head, Research & Media
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Rajeev is a researcher-writer interested in queer experiences, the feminist ethics of care, and masculinities. They are a part of the Foundation’s fellowship team as well as the Godrej DEI Lab’s research and media team.
Rajeev Kushwah (they/them)
Fellowships Lead
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Sarah works at the intersection of gender, education, and community building. Committed to creating inclusive and equitable spaces for learning and growth, she has been involved in queer-affirming spaces and community-led initiatives that promote belonging, visibility, and meaningful dialogue.
Sarah Susan Varkey (she/her)
Fellowship Coordinator
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Poonam is an experienced Executive Assistant and Operations Professional with 12+ years of experience supporting C-suite leaders. She works at Godrej DEI Lab where she's the go to person for everything. Follow her insta @bravemumma where she talks about her motherhood experiences.
Poonam Patil (she/her)
Assistant Manager
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Ayush is a visual designer who believes design is problem-solving, driven entirely by storytelling that brings clarity to complex ideas.
Ayush Govil he/him
Visual Designer