Ladak wore a rainbow poncho and dhoti during the protest at Mumbai Pride in January 2014 after the SC overrode the Delhi High Court verdict, decriminalising homosexuality

Karim Ladak may not have time on his trip to Mumbai this week to make a stop at his old Worli residence, Red Rose, but the memories from time spent there are sure to come alive. It was 1990 and Ladak was with Procter & Gamble, heading information technology. Gay bars were far from a reality, and Ladak's 1,500 sq ft home became the chosen address for house parties, a refuge for the like-minded, and a spot where parent support groups could meet. "India's first gay marriage between two men took place in my apartment. It was here that we got involved in HIV testing, and composed and launched Bombay Dost, India's first registered and legal LGBTQ magazine," he recalls, quickly adding, "The neighbours hated me! It was full dhamaal."