Dear Readers,
You might have come across my recent interview with the wonderful Ritash from the RANG Foundation. RANG—Research & Action for Nurturing Gender & Intersecting Identities—was created as a space of care and understanding for those navigating questions around their gender or sexuality. In a world where such journeys can often feel isolating, the guidance, information, and compassionate support they offer truly matter. Ritash, one of the educators, content creator and counsellors at RANG, is part of that quiet but powerful work of holding space for others—and I found myself deeply curious about their story and the heart behind what they do.
I asked two kinds of questions, the personal ones and the ones regarding RANG.
Discoveries of an ace: Dear Ritash, please introduce yourself to our readers.
Ritash: I’m a NeuroQueer, Gender Fluid pan GrayRo Ace with invisiblized disabilities, in Bangalore, non-profit co-founder/consultant, writer, educator, research advisor, and multilingual LGBTGDQIAP+ peer counsellor. I’ve been writing and talking about neurodivergence, gender fluidity, invisibilized disabilities, A-specs, trans, gender diverse, and intersex persons, offline and online, since 2020, for varied audiences (including corporate, academic, social impact, healthcare, and media). I’m also co-hosting virtual self-care sessions and Instagram Lives (on rang.org2020) with diverse LGBTIQAP+ and disabled persons from India and abroad, since 2023. And, as a computer science engineer and software project manager, I have 14 years of IT industry experience too. Btw, I enjoy penning verse and camera tricks!
Personal questions
Discoveries of an ace: When did you first realise that you are gender fluid, demi-romantic, and asexual? Did you discover this all at once, or was that a process?
Ritash: It’s a lifelong process. I’m a Neurodivergent Queer, gender-fluid, pan-Gray Romantic Ace. Here’s my writing on my Aceness, gender fluidity, peer counselling, et al
https://thesouthfirst.com/author/ritash/
https://www.thip.media/author/ritash/
5 Indian Ace-specs (led by me) submitted the document below to India’s Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in September 2024 as they sought input under various heads from diverse LGBTIQAP+ community members. Our “Aces’ input” is perhaps the first and only such nationwide initiative, currently.
https://orinam.net/lgbtqia-community-needs-aces-input/
Discoveries of an ace: In a country like India, were you concerned about how your family and friends would react when you told them?
Ritash: Actually, India and the South Asian sub-continent have a long history of indigenous Queer, gender, and sexually diverse communities and cultures that were largely accepted lovingly and respectfully by the state and society. However, during the colonial period, the British introduced legal provisions (like the Hyderabad Eunuchs Act and IPC section 377) criminalising persons involved in “unnatural sex”. Due to decades of sustained advocacy and activism, we Queer, Trans, and Intersex persons and communities gained our fundamental rights and saw the creation of policies and provisions for our social acceptance and advancement. Despite our best efforts, the implementation of these provisions has been slow and minimal.
Incidentally, when I was 9 years old, my mother affirmatively told me about Hijras. Hijras and Kinners are a Socio-cultural identity based community of trans and gender diverse persons who live in multigenerational setups, primarily in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Also, Hijras blessed me a few weeks after my birth in Hyderabad (June, 1973). Hijra, Kinnar, Jogappa/Jogamma, Shivashakti community members in various parts of India usually bless newborn children and adults, especially during weddings, naming ceremonies, housewarming, and maybe give food, money, and other gifts.
In 2000-01, I disclosed my Aceness to my parents, my favourite paternal aunt, and an elderly family friend, despite lacking a term or information on it. I am glad and grateful that they were too shocked to do anything about or against it.
Discoveries of an ace: When did you decide to become an LGBTQIAP+ counsellor, and what do you love about it?
Ritash: I have been a multilingual lay counsellor and first responder for the LGBTGDQIAP+ community over the last decade. During the 2 COVID-19 lockdowns, I realised the need for LGBTGDQIAP+ affirmative peer counsellors.
In 2022, when I found a suitable training program and my community members urged me, I got certified as a peer support provider.
Providing multilingual pro bono peer support keeps me connected with very vulnerable persons among our community members.
Discoveries of an ace: What would you say are the main topics that come up the most?
Ritash:
- Do I seem Queer or Trans?
- How can I be more Trans or Queer?
- I need Queer, Trans, Intersex, Ace affordable, accessible, affirming therapy.
- Am I Agender, gender free, gender diverse, gender flux?
Discoveries of an ace: Which is the most important topic for you?
Ritash: Finding coping mechanisms
Questions on RANG
Discoveries of an ace: When did you come up with the idea of the foundation?
Ritash: RANG (Research and Action to Nurture Gender and Intersecting Identities) emerged from the vision and passion of young Queers in India during their post-graduate degree program in Development Studies. These visionaries connected with me in June 2020, as the first COVID-19 lockdown ended. RANG began to crystallise as a grassroots Queer Collective from then onwards, when we met regularly online for mutual and collective care that we called Rant-o-therapy. We registered RANG Foundation as a non-profit organization in India in July 2024.
Discoveries of an ace: What is the main focus of the RANG Foundation?
Ritash:
- Providing LGBQTGDIAP+ affirming peer mental health support, healthcare, and legal referrals
- Documenting diverse, multilingual, first-person, audio-visual LGBTQIA+ narratives from across the world
- Education, DEI, and research advisory
Discoveries of an ace: Do you have real-life meetings where people can join you, and if so, where would you find these, or are you mainly active online?
Ritash: We organise the following:
- offline multilingual meets or events roughly once every month, usually in collaboration with grassroots LGBQTGDIAP+ community groups or Queer-Trans Affirming Allies on the community’s achievements, lives, issues, needs, interests, aspirations, et al, where all are welcome
- Instagram Live conversations with diverse LGBQTGDIAP+ persons (from across the world) almost every weekend, since mid-2023
- Periodic multilingual webinars with grassroots LGBQTGDIAP+ community groups on the community’s achievements, lives, issues, needs, interests, aspirations, et al
Discoveries of an ace: If someone wanted to have a meeting with you as a counsellor, what would they have to do?
Ritash: They can DM ritashachanta on Instagram or email ritash@therang.org
Discoveries of an ace: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all of my questions. I really appreciate you!
I really appreciate the work that you are doing for the community. It´s so important to have people who are a safe haven for others to figure out who they are. Thank you for everything that you do and thank you for answering my questions!
If you are interested in more interviews like that, let me know.
Best,
Ace