The idea of a pride walk to highlight the issue took birth in the mind of Owais Khan. Some well-known people who participated in The Friendship Walk included Ashok Row Kavi, Nitin Karani, Pawan Dhall, Owais Khan and Rafique-Ul-Haque-Dowjah-Ranjan. The participants were wearing specially designed, bright yellow T-shirts with graphics of footsteps and a caption reading 'Walk on the Rainbow'. The march began with hardly fifteen participants and some of these participants came from other cities in India, including Mumbai and Bangalore. Kolkata's pride march 1999 was the first ever march in India, organised on 2 July 1999. The participants walk in solidarity with all rights based movements, Child rights, Women's rights, Dalit rights, Rights of the Disabled/differently-abled, students groups, and others. The walk is held to strengthen the voice for equality for all – irrespective of gender, sexuality, religion, etc. Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk is held with the intention of making a political statement for Equality, Tolerance, Love and Solidarity. Currently, Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk is organised by the Kolkata Rainbow Pride Festival (KRPF). Kolkata was chosen as the first city to host the march owing to Kolkata's history of movements for human and Political Rights. The first march in Kolkata was organised on 2 July 1999.
Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk (KRPW) is the oldest pride walk in India and South Asia.
