Queerness and Storytelling in India

About Queerness and Storytelling in India

This podcast hosts writers, readers, artists, and activists who listen to, read, or document "queer" stories and their afterlives. This space hopes to hold conversations that question what queerness in India feels, looks, and sounds like. It may push Indian writers and publishers, especially upper-caste Hindus to check their cultural and social capital and interrogate the Indian dominance in South Asia and studies on South Asia. It is an attempt to share joy or discomfort, suspicion, or solidarity, or just gossip and flirt. Though this podcast is an extension of my research interests, it is neither funded by my current institution nor meant to be an academic engagement as such. As a curator who is upper-caste, I hope to work harder to not replicate Savarna ways of producing knowledge. I also recognize the labor of sharing stories and intend to compensate some guests, either with honoraria or by other means, depending on what they may desire.

Publisher

Rajorshi Das

Category

arts · tv & film

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

31 Mar 2022

Latest episode

27 May 2026

Latest episodes

42 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 May 2026

   Episode 41 with writer Adnan Shaikh

   I had interviewed Adnan Shaikh in October 2025 to discuss their approaches to storytelling and representation. Adnan's writing has appeared on many platforms, including Kazim Ali's edited anthology, On the Brink of Belief. In this podcast episode, they discuss the importance of writing from specific regional and religious positionalities. Additionally, they also share an expansive understanding of queer Muslim futures and their current project, The Ummah of Elsewhere.

2. 

   2 Nov 2025

   Episode 40 with veteran activist Raina Roy

   In this episode, Raina Roy reflects on the genealogy of queer/trans activism in Kolkata, tracing back to kothi gatherings at Rabindra Sarobar Lake. She emphasises that academics must cultivate long-term, reciprocal relationships with activists—without whom their research questions, archives, and subjects would not exist. Roy highlights the value of engaging seriously with critique and draws connections between SIR and Palestine to articulate a broader vision of social justice. She shares her desire to teach Marx in academia and aspires for a more livable future.

3. 

   23 Sept 2025

   Episode 39 with student activist Mohammad Aamir Khan

   In this episode, Aamir reflects on his experiences of belonging and unbelonging in both India and Taiwan. He highlights Taiwan's apolitical approach to higher education and queer rights despite being the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. Aamir also discusses the nuances of being racialized and desired (or not) in both countries. He suggests that we should care and listen, without trying to score points on social media. In that context, Aamir practices self-care through crochet and knitting. Finally, we examine the detrimental impact of SIR on vulnerable communities in Bihar, shedding light on how people are being disenfranchised in India.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

4.7 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

43

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

60

Contact Queerness and Storytelling in India

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.