2025
In 2025, the facilities at the shelter home were expanded.
A Drop-In Center as well as a Community Library named ‘Bolti Kitabe’ were set up on the ground floor.
This space also has computers and internet that community members can access.
TAPISH’s advocacy work also further bloomed in this year, with two grants enabling the team to design and facilitate sessions on the constitution with the transgender, gender diverse, and queer communities and gender sensitisation sessions in educational institutions across Indore.
A booklet with detailed information on the transgender identity, the experiences of the community and their legal rights was also written and published.
TAPISH’s dedicated work of the last few years was recognized by - national transgender award, sports award.
Adversities:
The lack of availability of trans-inclusive insurance policies, a slight slowing down of work around entitlements, and the need to have a robust monitoring and evaluation framework and documentation process are some things that remained gaps in the work during this year, and something TAPISH hopes to tackle through 2026.
2024
Mera Kunba, India’s first registered shelter home for transmasculine people was established in 2024 by TAPISH.
This year also saw them strengthen their helpline and services in helping transgender, gender diverse, and queer persons in crisis situations.
Many efforts were also made to improve the financial condition of the community by setting up self-help groups, providing entrepreneurship opportunities, and advocating for a transgender column in applications for government jobs.
Alongside this, activities with the Kabir Sangeet Shala and setting up a cultural dance group also created space for vibrant artistic expression within the community.
Adversities:
This year also came with massive challenges, including attacks on the shelter home by kinnar groups as well as lack of initiative and support from funders. Despite the mental and financial challenges brought on by these struggles, TAPISH’s work for the community never wavered and continued on its steady path.
2023
Going from strength to strength, in 2023 the organisation received the KP grant to build their work on HIV testing, stakeholder advocacy and starting a peer support group.
They also worked to bring a third column for gender identity in all government forms.
The Foundation was given an award by the Chattisgarh government for
2022
In a big milestone for transmasculine voices across the state of Madhya Pradesh, in April 2022, Samparpan Sangathan was registered as Tapish Foundation.
For the team at its heart, this gave them the motivation and resources they needed to double their efforts. They continued working with transgender, gender diverse, and queer persons in accessing gender-affirming care, transgender ID cards, and changing gender markers in various documents.
The Foundation also organised a state-level stakeholder meeting with the Principal Secretary of the Social Justice Department towards raising visibility for transmasculine people.
Crucially, their advocacy work helped in the setting up of the first Transgender Welfare board in the district as well as the first Police Protection Cell in AJK Thana in Indore.
2021
By 2021, this support group was xx members strong and named itself Samarpan Sanghatan. Its main activities involved advocacy sessions with various stakeholders to raise awareness about the 2019 Transgender Act.
They also spoke to medical and healthcare professionals around transgender health and attempted to negotiate reduced fees for transgender, gender diverse, and queer patients.
Members of the group opened their own homes to provide short term stays for transmen in crisis situations.
Adversities:
Doing all this work was not easy. Navigating the fear of being outed, the lack of support from the larger trans community, and severe financial constraints, Samparpan Sanghatan worked tirelessly for their community.
2020
As part of TWEET Foundation’s Trans Youth Fellowship, Nikunj started a peer support group for transmasculine people in Indore in 2020. The aim was to increase visibility for, as well as networks within, this community.
This was a way for the community to fight invisibility, ensure survival and live a life of dignity. Despite lack of financial resources, the fear of being outed and lack of support from within the transgender community, members of this support group worked towards making entitlements accessible.
Their advocacy work with the District Magistrate and Social Justice Department made it possible for many transmen and transmasculine people to access Transgender Identity Cards in the state.
2019
It was 2019 and the seeds of TAPISH were the members of an informal whatsapp group for transmen in Madhya Pradesh. Romance, friendship, sports, travel, chest binding, employment education, perfect date ideas, this group was there through all the big and small parts of its members’ lives.
These happy times, however, overnight switched with COVID-19. Pressure to get married, inability to access hormones, natal-family violence, these stories dominated the group chat and painfully reflected to its members their collective lack of power.
“How can we help each other?” Carrying this question, Nikunj travelled back home to his village in the middle of the pandemic.
