"Stories from the New Queer India" to be released in the presence of Nandita Das on 9th January

India’s most awaited LGBT anthology, after 2009 Delhi High Court Ruling on section 377, Out! Stories from the New Queer India, published by Queer Ink and edited by Ms. Minal Hajratwala, is finally here. Fascinating narratives told by 30 writers from all walks of life, who consider the dominant theme to be close to their hearts have contributed their works.

Over two years on, Queer Ink has grown to be a unique web retailer providing accessibility to queer books, films and art and now moved to being a publisher and promoter of LGBTI Indian literature with their first book Out! Stories from the New Queer India.

Ms. Minal Hajratwala, the author of the award winning book Leaving India: My Family’s Journey From Five Villages to Five Continents. Along with being a journalist, Minal is also a well known writing coach and the editor of Out! Stories from the New Queer India. Stories cover a range of genres and issues that concern Lesbian, Gay,Bi-sexual, Trans (LGBT) India. Contributors in the book include published writers Karuna Ezara Parikh, Sandip Roy, R.Raj Roy, Dibyajyoti Sarma, Sunny Singh, Kama Spice, Anisha Sridhar, Arun Mirchandani and a vibrant group of emerging writers.

In Bengalaru, a law student falls in love as the nation’s highest courts decide whether his love is legitimate. In Mumbai, a film star and a parent discuss their own journeys of "coming out" as advocates of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender movement. In rural Kerala, two girls row a small boat and feel their hearts opening. Some of the other themes that are covered in this anthology are of regret, values, relationships, love and the various steps people in love take just to be together and accepted in this society where homosexuals still find themselves to be a minority in this homogeneous society.

Concluding the anthology is a dialogue between Nandita Das and Chitra Palekar who openly talk about LGBT lives that have affected them and helped them grow into advocates for this community.

These are the lives of queer Indians today: poignant, gripping and occasionally even hilarious. Through their original and unforgettable stories, penned by the community’s master storytellers as well as emerging writers, Out! Stories from the New Queer India offers a glimpse beyond the closet doors - and into the lives and dreams of India’s most misunderstood minority.

The book is available on www.queer-ink.com and all Crossword outlets across the India at a reasonable price of Rs. 350/-

Queer ink.com is a unique web retailer providing accessibility to books, films and art that share the queer experience, all at affordable prices. Queer Ink also organizes events to for to discuss and/or perform the queer word. Headquartered in Mumbai and by virtue of being an eclectic centre for queer culture activity, Queer Ink has grown to be active in events such as pride parades and literature festivals. Besides, it also holds writers’ workshops and book-readers interactions regularly.