Anandaroopa receives US Secretary of State Award for LGBT volunteerism in Chennai

Nam ‘Anandaroopa’ Nguyen was honored on December 6 2011 in Washington, DC, by the Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW) with a Secretary of State Award for his efforts in promoting LGBT Pride in Chennai, India.

Anandaroopa and his partner Bryan Dalton, who was Chief of the Consular Section at the US Consulate in Chennai from 2008-2011, were among those who catalyzed the city’s first Rainbow Pride march in 2009.

Some of their contributions to visibility of LGBT issues in Chennai included:

• A public screening of the Oscar-winning film Milk on June 22, 2009,  in partnership with  U.S. Consulate General-Chennai, the Madras Film Society and the Indo-Cine Appreciation Foundation.
• Bringing gay visibility to the readers of The Hindu through an article on Pet Care in the MetroPlus (June 10, 2009) and an op-ed by Bryan Dalton ‘A Matter of Pride’  (July 10, 2010)
• Film screenings, panel discussions, and other events at the US Consulate in connection with LGBT Pride Month June 2010 and 2011.
• A contingent from GLFAA at Chennai Pride 2011.
• Their support of local community organization Sahodaran and its events.