About

Born in Kolkata, Christopher Nikhil Bowen (He/him) enjoys mixing with LGBTQ+ Desi’s from across SoCal and sharing stories of similar life experiences.

Bowen’s inaugural event with SoCal Satrang was our Annual Gala at Spice Affair in 2017. He hopes to create more dynamic events that attract new members; while meaningfully engaging longstanding ones through even stronger organizational communication and outreach.

Bowen lives in West Hollywood with his husband Danny Ariel Carrasquilla and their two dogs.

AP Qazi - Kashmiri, he/they - Born in Jammu and raised on the east coast, AP now lives in Los Angeles where they are passionate about community building and mental health awareness. AP loves adventures and activities. They are an avid hiker, camper, golfer and tennis player. Satrang is the first space Ap found south Asian community that resonated with them. 

Nathan Singh (He/him/his) is a first-generation Indo-Fijian American.  As a proud LA theatre artist and storyteller, his work is informed by and infused with themes of otherness, queerness, and cultural diasporas. He actively practices self-care, kindness, and is attempting to heal the wounds of generational trauma. Nathan is constantly inspired by the Satrang community.

Misha (they/she/he) is from Lahore, Pakistan and has been in Los Angeles for the last 4 and a half years. They believe in the power of community deeply as well as advocating for safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ South Asians. Misha works as a family and community coordinator at an education nonprofit during the day and is also a screenwriter who seeks to tell stories which center the narratives of South Asian women, non binary people and queer folk. Whether it’s a script, their current work in education spaces or a stand up comedy set, Misha hopes to infuse their experiences and voice into everything they do. 

Purva was born and raised in Mumbai, India. She completed medical school in India and moved to the United States to pursue her residency and fellowship. Purva is a practicing rheumatologist in West Los Angeles. She has made valuable contributions to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive space in healthcare free of subconscious bias. She is passionate about creating a safe space for the South Asian LGBTQIA+ community so that they can thrive. Her priorities include creating awareness and addressing mental health and medical care needs. Her chosen family is her strength and is very precious to her. Purva encourages and practices self-care and fosters an attitude of gratitude. She enjoys spending quality time with her loved ones, walks on the beach with her dog, yoga, meditation, traveling, painting, music, and broadway.

Alya (She/her) is passionate about creating a safe space for folks across the spectrum of the South Asian LGBTQ community. She is an advocate for mental health and enjoys cooking food for loved ones!

Saadiq Malik (they/them) is a first generation Pakistani who moved from Chicago to California a few years ago. They are an optometrist who focuses on community health and health equity. They have years of LGBTQ+ organizing experience and are passionate about fostering safe spaces for queer south asian folks of all genders and ages. Outside of their scrubs they are a drag king and producer who works to bring more south asian representation to the drag scene. They enjoy cooking, pottery, Bollywood movies and karaoke.