Walking through the doors of Gazra cafe in old Vadodara is like walking into another century. Behind us, the Sursagar lake sits serene; a gold-plated statue of Lord Shiva watching over it. Beyond, red brick buildings now converted into government offices remind us of an era that was. Outside of one of the windows is a view of the last surviving example of old-Vadodara architecture, with colourful walls and spacious balconies. It’s in the midst of being torn down to make way for perhaps a modern building. Sandwiched, is the Shri Maharani Chimnabai Stree Udyogalaya, which houses the newly-opened Gazra, the first eatery in Gujarat launched with the aim to promote inclusivity, with several members of its core team and staff belonging to the LGBTQiA+ community.

Radhikaraje Gaikwad currently heads the Shri Maharani Chimnabai Stree Udyogalaya, an centre for empowerment, set up by the then Maharani of Vadodara in 1914