India, Sept. 5 -- Warm hugs, meaningful art and emotional farewells set the tone at the British High Commissioner's (BHC) residence in the Capital on Thursday. Guests gathered to mark eight years since the historic striking down of Section 377, which decriminalised consensual homosexual relationships between adults in India. Titled Honouring the Past, Shaping the Future, the pride reception felt less like a formal diplomatic evening and more like an intimate reunion of friends, activists and trailblazers. Becks Buckingham, Minister Counsellor Political, Justice and Home Affairs, BHC made the gathering especially personal. Leaving India in three weeks after a three-year stint with her wife, Mitch Mitchinson, she said, "Tonight is the last time I will host an event like this in Delhi which makes it feel a lot less like a formal reception and more like a chance to hang out with friends." Among the prominent voices was Naz Foundation founder and activist Anjali Gopalan, who spoke about the challenges that remain. "It feels like we were able to take a few steps forward, only to be pushed back," she said. Yet, she added, "We have miles to go before we can sleep, but I still hold on to hope.... We have to stop feeling hopeless." The evening also celebrated queer creativity, with an art display by LGBTQIA+ artists, supported by the Keshav Suri Foundation, and poetry by Sara Haque and Rachit of The Queer Muslim Project....