New Website of Srishti Madurai Launched



The New website launch of Srishti Madurai was held at Chennai during Aravindan Neelakandan's "இந்திய அறிதல் முறைகள் " (Indiya Arithal Muraigal) Book Launch by New Horizon Media on 6 March 2016 at CP Art Centre, Alwarpet.


The Introduction to Gopi Shankar was given by writer Aravindan Neelakandan, renowned Ambedkarite & Dalit Scholar Mave (Ma. Venkatesan) launched the website www.srishtimadurai.org in the presence of  Badri Seshadri & Haran Prasanna of NHM, Oagai Natarajan of www.tamilhindu.com, Solvanam Ravi Shankar, Uthra Dorairajan HOD Physics of DG Vaishnava College, Writer Shanthini Devi Ramasamy.To our surprise Honorable Central Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping in Narendra Modi's cabinet Shri Pon Radhakrishnan, BJP State VP Vanathi Srinivasan, Writer Joe D Cruz and many attended the event.

Actress Vishakha Singh sponsored the website and Anuj Omar and Sandesh B Suvarna (IBM employees) designed the website.
               
Few Participants from AV's book launch (SG Surya BJP, Susan TOI, Gopi Shankar Madurai, Santhi Soundarajan, Vanathi Srinivasan BJP, Writer Joe D Cruz are seen in this picture PC: Haran Prasanna)

Santhi Soundarajan received Inspirational Young Women Leader Award.

Gopi Shankar Madurai receiving the Award on behalf of Santhi & SMISA

Champion Athlete Santhi Soundarajan, the first Tamil Woman to won a medal at Asian Games was conferred "Inspirational Young Women Leader Award" along SMISA (Srishti Madurai International Sports Academy) by the World Women Leadership Congress (WWLC 2016) at Hotel Taj Lands End, Mumbai on Feb 17 2016. Gopi Shankar Madurai received the Award on behalf of Santhi, women leaders from more than 60 countries took part in the event. Indira Rangarajan All India Radio Mirchi programming head was also awarded along with Santhi.

Award Citation presented to Santhi Soundarajan





Gopi Shankar Madurai was awarded "Diversity Leadership Award".

Gopi receiving the Diversity Leadership Award

The World HRD Congress 2016  conferred Diversity Leadership Award on Gopi Shankar Madurai, the award ceremony was held at Hotel Taj Lands End, Mumbai on Feb 15 2016. Along with Gopi the other awardees are Pallav Patankar, Sonal Giani from the Humsafar Trust, Transwoman Manabi Bandhyopadhyay (1st Transgender College Pricipal from West Bengal).

Gopi with Vishakha Singh


Actress Vishakha Singh one of the committee member of Srishti Madurai attended the event and supported Gopi's visit to Mumbai and wished him.

Award Presented to Gopi Shankar Madurai










Butler's"Gender Performativity" Explained - Hannah BUSY PHD STUDENT



Srishti Madurai 5 years in my eyes - Akssar Chandran, Student, Kendriya Vidyalaya Madurai


Today people are no stranger to the works of SRISHTI Madurai. SRISHTI is known for its instrumental work in addressing issues related to gender and sexual orientation. The amount of work done by SRISHTI makes one think of it as a well-established organization which may be running for a long time. But the reality is quite astonishing. 

SRISHTI in fact has very humble beginnings at the American college just about four years ago. SRISHTI was started by Mr. M.Gopi Shankar and his fellow college students on 2nd September 2011. It is a student body which has worked for the LGBTQIA community in Madurai and its surroundings. Despite all this SRISHTI doesn’t identify itself as an organization. And it justifiably differs on a lot of grounds from a regular NGO. 

For starters SRISHTI is self-sufficient, unlike other welfare organizations SRISHTI is not dependent on the donations. SRISHTI is funded by its various member who contribute, for instance the founder, Mr. M. Gopi Shankar, taught Yoga to contribute to SRISHTI. Furthermore SRISHTI does not act like a commercial office where people do social work as an occupation. The members of SRISHTI in fact have their own occupations through which they aid SRISHTIand its activities. 

The member of SRISHTI believe that every drop of water contributes to the ocean and hence contribute every bit they can. SRISHTI is its members and its member are SRISHTI. Such is the way the organization works, by helping oneself and the people around them, the whole society can be bettered. This does not mean the work done by SRISHTI is small, it is in-fact world class. SRISHTI has organized several events and programs for the community at a global standard. They have organized Asia’s first genderqueer parade which was a success at the very first attempt with participants coming in from far and beyond. SRISHTI has also organized a unique film festival screening movies regarding sexual orientation. 

SRISHTI has also recognized other activists and writers with awards for their contribution. SRISHTI has also devised programs for education on gender and sexual orientation and carried out the same in various educational institutions. Through this programs SRISHTI has been able to spread awareness on this topic which is still considered a taboo by many. 

The biggest achievement of SRISHTI can be said to be the fact that it has been able to do all this in Madurai, which is considered to be one of the more conservative towns. In-fact with the help of SRISHTI Madurai has become more open minded than many of the metro cities in the acceptance of gender queers. The standard of work done by SRISHTI is made very high with the help of several luminaries including Ms. Anjali Gopalan and Dr. Bracha Ettinger who have constantly supported SRISHTIsince its inception. The hard work of SRISHTI’s membersworking as a self-less team has been a key factor for its humongous success. SRISTHI in fact has done work at quarter the time and money taken by other well established NGOs. 

Gandhi said “Be the change you want to see in this world”, SRISHTI is proving to be that “much needed change” that this world requires.