The Lalit launches a book celebrating queer stories and the power of belonging

There is something powerful about being in a space where you don't have to explain who you are. Where your identity isn't a conversation you need to prepare for, and being yourself doesn't come with the fear of being treated differently. For many people, that kind of acceptance is still something they are learning to find.

On October 31, The LaLiT Suri Hospitality Group launched Hospitality with a Heart, a book featuring personal stories from its queer team members. Written by Amrita Tripathi, with an introduction by Keshav Suri, Executive Director of The LaLiT Suri Hospitality Group, the book explores what it means to move from being included to genuinely feeling like you belong.

The launch took place at the Crystal Ballroom at The LaLiT New Delhi, bringing together the people behind the book for an evening centred on empathy, inclusion, and the meaning of hospitality beyond service.

Inclusion is more than just a seat at the table 

The book follows people who have lived on the fringes, challenged labels placed on them, and found their way towards pride and belonging. But it also looks at something that often gets overlooked in conversations about inclusion: what happens after someone is hired.

For The LaLiT, the question became whether hiring from a marginalised community was enough, or whether the systems around them needed to change, too.

That reflection led to revised workplace policies and processes, gender-affirming healthcare support, Employee Resource Groups, and wider programmes for queer team members.

Because inclusion isn't just about opening a door. It's about making sure people feel safe and respected once they walk through it.

The everyday things that can change someone's life

Speaking about the book, Tripathi shared that she initially expected to hear stories about diversity, equity, inclusion, and queer leadership. Instead, she encountered accounts of isolation, bullying, and the pressure to conform.

What stood out to her was how much the everyday details mattered. Being addressed by the right name. Not being made to feel like an outsider. Having a workplace where you don't have to leave a part of yourself behind.

These seemingly small gestures can make a meaningful difference in someone's life. Tripathi hopes readers will connect with the interviewees as individuals, understand their experiences in their own words, and feel inspired to become better allies.

What does hospitality look like beyond a hotel?

At the launch, journalist Faye D'Souza moderated a panel featuring Tripathi, Rithik Hukku, Shaurya, and Shruti. The conversation explored empathy, inclusion, and how hospitality can extend beyond the traditional idea of welcoming a guest.

For Keshav Suri, hospitality is ultimately about making people feel that they belong.

He emphasised that true inclusion means not having to leave a part of yourself at the door to be welcomed in. While decriminalisation was an important step, equality requires continued effort, particularly in creating workplaces where people can show up as their whole selves.

The book honours the people who have helped bring that vision closer, while reminding readers that inclusion is a responsibility that needs to be practised every day.

A story that goes beyond one community

The stories in Hospitality with a Heart come from team members who are also part of initiatives such as She Leads, the Aditya Nanda Scholarship, Project Prahari, and Apna Heera. These programmes include LGBTQIA+ persons, acid attack survivors, persons with disabilities, and neurodivergent individuals. 

The book was unveiled by Dr Jyotsna Suri, chairperson and managing director of The LaLiT Suri Hospitality Group, alongside the group's executive directors, Tripathi, D'Souza, and the featured team members. The evening also featured a performance by Hash Brownie in line with Kitty Su Beauty.

At its heart, Hospitality with a Heart is a reminder that belonging isn't something people should have to earn by fitting into a particular idea of who they should be. It's something that workplaces, communities, and all of us have a responsibility to create. And sometimes, it begins with something as simple as making someone feel seen.

Ultimately, Hospitality with a Heart goes beyond documenting individual experiences. It opens up a larger conversation about what it means to create spaces where people feel accepted, respected, and free to be themselves. Real inclusion isn't measured by how many people are welcomed in, but by whether they feel they truly belong once they're there. And that's a conversation worth continuing. 

Lead image: The Brand 

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