VR Bengaluru, the award winning, community-oriented, lifestyle centre in Bengaluru, has won new honours in the category of Cause Marketing at The ICSC Asia Pacific Shopping Center Awards – considered the Oscars in the Retail industry. VR Bengaluru took home the Silver for its month-long campaign CONNECTING COMMUNITIES© WITH PRIDE in June this year.
Virtuous Retail celebrated India’s first ever Pride Month by extending their support and engaging with various members of the LGBTQI community. With all the 4 centres of Virtuous Retail proudly showcasing the PRIDE/Rainbow flag on their facades, the team at VR Bengaluru celebrated the cause further and launched a talk series with leading transgender activist, columnist & TV personality, as well as the First Transgender Office bearer in the Indian Congress history, Apsara Reddy for a tête-à-tête with a well-known author Sreemoyee Kundu to celebrate individuals who have broken gender & societal barriers. Topics like single women, child psychology, merit over sexuality, dating were discussed at the event.
Virtuous Retail also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising at The Whitefield Arms, VR Bengaluru by hosting a soiree and pre-launch to India’s first LGBTQI job fair RISE to commemorate the event that was attended by the community and allies. The party saw entertaining drag performances by Rimiheart and Ladybai with mixologist, Ami Shroff creating a special rainbow drink for the occasion. The evening was supported by Pride Circle – a community of people working, impacting, supporting the space of LGBTQI+ inclusion at the workplace in India
Speaking about the honour, Pankaj Renjhen COO, Virtuous Retail, said, “It is a matter of immense pride for us to be awarded by the jury at the ICSC Asia Pacific Shopping Center Awards. VR Bengaluru is a one-of its-kind lifestyle destination focused on bringing local communities together. We are very proud to see it recognized by peers, nationally and internationally, for its marketing initiatives and unique community focused programming which only reinforces our diversity and inclusivity policies”
