Wilson College celebrates the different

I recently met a Wilsonian (that’s what students of Wilson College are called) in the local train after more than half a decade. Said person didn’t take to me calling him an ex-student too kindly, so I guess I will abstain from it. In his words, “once a Wilsonian, always a Wilsonian”.

I had met this team in 2011 when they organised two strong events that were a clarion call against homophobia and transphobia. The group was huge and students were extremely committed to the cause. They did not treat the event as some sort of ‘college project’, but took it further.

They started a Facebook page, put together inarguably the first student-organised PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) event. They also have the distinguished reputation of being the first college group to organise an LGBTQI event at the Carter Road Amphitheatre in Mumbai. I am yet to see that kind of mad, crazy and lovable crowd at Carter Road Amphitheatre again.

College is a time when you are cash-crunched and resource-crunched. But these students went further and further. They organised two events — ‘De Taali’ for transgenders and LOTC or Living Outside The Closet for the LGB people. We had Mohan Kannan, Meiyang Chang and Monali Thakur singing with Bhavya Pandit, the student organiser, ex-Indian Idol contestant and host of the show. None of the performers had any hesitance in acknowledging the cause. None of them felt awkward. That’s how these Wilsonians are – raw, true-blue activists who may not know difficult words but definitely know what it means to be free and equal.

The best thing – they don’t identify as LGBTQI. I remember when someone from the crowd asked one of them, (I don’t remember the name) if she was queer, she simply smiled back and said, “yeah… so?” That “yeah… so?” was enough to silence the homophobe.

Much credit for this also goes to their professor, Sudhakar Solomon Raj, who gave them utmost freedom in choosing the topic of their choice. He did guide them but also let them be. He bred a culture of tolerance and uninhibited love. He is among the professors who have left an imprint in my mind even though I had only just heard about him. These events were organised in 2011. I happened to meet Sudhakar Sir only in 2017. But every batch of students from Wilson who were in touch with me, mentioned his name in every second sentence.

This college has left a mark forever in celebrating people for who they are. Equality and respect for all is their mantra. It is important that we celebrate the history of these young students who made a difference. Today, Alisha Sequira is baking cakes, Tushar Mathew is doing theatre, Alisha Sharma is busy copywriting with an agency, Bhavya is busy being a singing sensation and Vallari is a teacher at Wilson itself. The freedom we enjoy is a result of the culture of tolerance bred by these stalwarts and their friends.

Thou shalt never be forgotten.

Ajjibaat Naahi!

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