About
Satrang serves the South Asian LGBTQ community by promoting awareness, acceptance, and empowerment through social, educational, and advocacy-related events. We envision an inclusive and visible community in which South Asian LGBTQ-identified people feel whole and heard.
Board Co Chairs
Christopher Nikhil Bowen
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
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
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 Hassan
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 Chhibar, MD
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.
DoraBabu
Dorababu is a first gen immigrant from south India. They’re a huge advocate for mental health and so excited to be working for Satrang. They’re a passionate makeup artist and beauty guru and love to get makeup inspo from various cultural aspects.
Saadiq Malik
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.
Committee Members
Ankit Chachada
Ankit (he/him/his) was born and raised in Nagpur, India and moved to SoCal in 2015 to pursue his Masters. He likes to cook, meditate, hangout with friends, go to the beach, walk and drink chai at midnight. His first satrang event was Ghazal night in Dec 2021, and feels warm and welcoming whenever he is among his Satrang community. He will serve as a Committee Member.
Amber Riat
Amber Riat (they/them) is a nonbinary Punjabi multidisciplinary artist, actor, and writer. Their love for storytelling began at a young age and they hope through their art they can uplift minority voices and share stories that impact their audiences. They joined Satrang last year and were overjoyed to discover so many LGBTQ+ south Asian folks celebrating so joyously and creating a safe environment for members like them who may feel ostracized from their community of origin. Amber can't wait to share their skills and interests with this incredible committee and expand our magical community!
Ishani Chokshi
Ishani (she/her) is an artist, lawyer, and androgynous trans woman from Chicago. She is obsessed with using art and community to bring out the truths of queer and trans people of color - and she's excited to contribute to Los Angeles' LGBTQ+ South Asian community.
Shubha Rajan
Shubha (she/they) is a 2nd generation American whose parents are immigrants from Bangalore, India. By day, Shubha works as a software engineer at Kickstarter, where in addition to writing code, she helps advocate for artists and creators from underrepresented communities. Shubha is also a writer and spoken word artist who performs at open mics across LA. In their free time, Shubha enjoys doing anything hands-on and creative, and cuddling with her cat, Missy. Shubha hopes to bring her previous experience in nonprofits, education and community organizing as well as her passion for inclusion and accessibility to her role as a Satrang committee member, and is incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to give back to Satrang, a community that welcomed her with open arms and helped her reconnect with her culture and embrace being both queer and Desi.
Aastha Jani
Aastha (they/she) is a 21-year-old student of digital media and gender studies from Dubai. They are passionate about intersectionality and accessibility and hope to use their time on the Satrang committee to expand the community through outreach. When she is not struggling to keep up with assignments, you can find Aastha in the sun with their friends, crafting a cocktail, or justifying their latest makeup haul. Aastha is always in the market for platonic and professional connections – if you find their LinkedIn, hit connect.
Nisha Venkat
Nisha Venkat is a podcast producer, poet and a couple of other things that start with the letter P. They live in Los Angeles with their cat.
Shivani Desai
Shivani Desai (they/them) is a CalArts Music Technology graduate based in Los Angeles, specialized in merging Indian Classical music theory with modern electronic music practices.
Since the age of 5 Shivani has been studying music under Hasu Patel, one of very few female Indian classical music sitar performers who dedicates her life to traditional music of ancient India. Their deep-rooted connection to sound informs a boundless communication not only to their inner self, but to generations prior. Motivated by love and pure curiosity, Shivani creates music that reflects a life in tune; an endless pursuit of greater understanding, self-realization, and interconnectedness.
Our Mission
Satrang is committed to equal opportunity for all persons. No one shall be treated differently, separately, or have any action that directly affects the individual be taken on the basis of race, religion, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or disability.
Our Vision
Satrang serves the South Asian LGBTQ community by promoting awareness, acceptance, and empowerment through social, educational, and advocacy-related events. We envision an inclusive and visible community in which South Asian LGBTQ-identified people feel whole and heard.