" At JQC, we don’t just celebrate Pride—we live it every day by creating spaces where love is safe, stories are heard, and identities are honoured. "
Jamshedpur Queer Circle is not just an organization—it’s a home. A home built by and for queer individuals across Jharkhand who have dared to imagine a world where love is not punished, identities are not silenced, and every human being is celebrated for who they truly are.
There was a time in Jamshedpur when there was no space — no room to breathe, to speak, to feel free, or to just be. While People for Change (PFC) was tirelessly working with various minority communities — children, youth, tribal groups — there was one deeply silenced group we hadn’t yet reached: gender and sexual minorities. No space existed in Jamshedpur where someone could openly talk about their sexuality, their identity, their fears, their dreams — without judgment.
Then something deeply transformative happened.
At the heart of PFC, we started noticing that individuals who identified as queer would walk in — sometimes hesitantly, often silently — and slowly begin to open up. Without any formal queer program, our space was still becoming a sanctuary. And it made our founder, Souvik Saha, pause. He realized something powerful: Queer people were seeking a space that simply didn’t exist elsewhere in Jamshedpur.
And then came a heartbreak that changed everything.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, a young boy gathered the immense courage to come out to his mother and share that he was gay. His mother, in turn, told the rest of the family. But instead of love, he was met with unimaginable violence — both physical and emotional. He was the breadwinner of the house, yet his identity became a reason for cruelty. Eventually, he fled to Pune, trying to escape the harassment and find peace.
But peace didn’t come. COVID hit, lockdowns began, and he was left completely isolated — unable to reach out to his family, unable to connect with anyone from Jamshedpur. There was no local online platform, no support system, no one to just say: "I see you. You matter. You're not alone."
He died by suicide.
This tragedy shook Souvik and our entire team to the core. The absence of a safe space had cost a precious life. And that is when Jamshedpur Queer Circle was born — first as a humble initiative under People for Change, and later, a fully registered community-led collective in 2024.
A space where all identities are valued and respected.
Encouraging agency and leadership within the queer community.
Advocating for fairness and equal rights.
Building a strong network of allies and community support.
