Hospitality’s role in inclusion

While many organisations have only recently begun formalising LGBTQIA+ inclusion through workplace policies and Pride campaigns, some have been championing these values for years. For them, inclusion is not a seasonal initiative but an integral part of their culture.

Among the most visible examples is The LaLiT Hotels, which has embedded queer visibility into its identity long before inclusion became a boardroom priority or Pride became part of annual marketing calendars.

Over the years, the hospitality group has built one of India’s most prominent ecosystems for queer inclusion across hospitality, nightlife, employment, culture and community engagement. At a time when few mainstream Indian brands were willing to publicly champion LGBTQIA+ causes, The LaLiT chose to do so consistently and visibly.

The group was also among the first hospitality brands in India to be recognised by the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) for its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Staying ahead of India’s pride conversation

Under the leadership of Keshav Suri, Executive Director of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and Founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation, the organisation emerged as one of India's earliest hospitality groups to advocate queer visibility and safe spaces within luxury hospitality.

“Long before inclusion became a corporate conversation or Pride became a calendar moment, The LaLiT chose to stand with the queer community, not as an act of allyship, but as a deeply held value. For over four decades now, we have built spaces where people can live, work, celebrate, perform, and simply be themselves with dignity and without fear.

“Through platforms like Kitty Su and across every experience we create, we have championed queer visibility, amplified unheard voices, and nurtured communities when few others would. The LaLiT proudly created spaces where Pride could truly exist, grow and flourish. That legacy continues to guide us with humility, authenticity, responsibility and immense pride every single day,” says Suri.

Nowhere is this commitment more visible than at Kitty Su. Over the last decade, the nightclub has evolved into one of India’s most recognised queer-safe cultural spaces, providing a platform for drag performers, queer artists, transgender voices, underground collectives and alternative performance cultures long before such representation entered mainstream conversations. It helped normalise queer visibility within luxury hospitality environments—something once considered commercially risky in India.

This year, the brand extended that legacy through Pure Love Nights at Kitty Su, New Delhi—a month-long Pride cultural series celebrating self-expression, representation, fashion, performance and community storytelling. Through drag artistry, trans-led performances, immersive nightlife experiences and digital storytelling, the initiative seeks to foster conversations that extend beyond physical venues into wider youth culture and online communities.

Navigating queerness in hospitality

Celebrated chef, restaurateur and founder of Delhi’s iconic Diva restaurant, Diva Catering and Motodo Pizzeria, Ritu Dalmia has long been a trailblazer—not only in the culinary world but also in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights in India. From enduring public scrutiny and online trolling to becoming one of the petitioners in the case that led to the decriminalisation of Section 377, she chose to speak up at a time when few public figures were willing to do so.

Dalmia realised she was a lesbian at the age of 22 and embraced her identity without hesitation. She came out early to her conservative Marwari family and considers herself fortunate to have received unwavering support from her mother.

Reflecting on her journey, she points out that being a woman, a chef, a restaurateur and openly lesbian has not always been an easy combination in a profession that remains overwhelmingly male-dominated, both in India and globally. Women continue to be underrepresented in professional kitchens worldwide, although she acknowledges that the industry is gradually becoming more inclusive. Even so, she believes there is still a long way to go before people are treated equally regardless of their sexual orientation.

In June 2016, Dalmia, along with four others, filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India challenging Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalised same-sex relationships. In September 2018, the Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional in a landmark judgement.

Today, Dalmia ensures that inclusivity is reflected in her own workplaces. She takes pride in maintaining a culture where hiring decisions are made without discrimination and where talent and merit take precedence over identity. While significant progress has been made, she believes the journey towards true equality and acceptance is far from complete.

Creating opportunities behind the bar

Inclusion within hospitality is not limited to guest experiences; it also extends to creating meaningful career pathways.

Bar chef Fay Antoin Barretto recognised a significant gap in representation within bartending and bar operations. In 2021, he founded Mr Bartender & The Crew, a collective aimed at empowering women and LGBTQIA+ individuals through bartending training and employment opportunities.

Historically, bartending in India has been a male-dominated profession, with transgender individuals and members of the queer community often excluded from opportunities. Determined to challenge this bias, Barreto set out to create a space where talent—not gender identity—determined success.

She notes, “My being part of the community has never been the headline of my career, my work has. I never wanted special treatment; I wanted to earn my place through hard work, discipline, and consistency.”

“If I’ve made a difference, I hope it’s because I’ve created spaces where high standards are matched by a strong sense of belonging. Hospitality is ultimately about people—celebrating successes together, supporting one another through setbacks, and building confidence in those around us. If someone has felt empowered because I believed in them, that’s a legacy worth having. With Aadore and Daria, what started as a small effort has grown into a change that is influencing the industry and will continue to do so,” says Barretto.

The journey of all these industry experts reflects the sector’s gradual but meaningful shift towards embracing diversity and recognising the valuable contributions of LGBTQIA+ talent—not just during Pride Month, but throughout the year.