3 weeks ago
Kolkata's After College Community Helps Young People Find Their Tribe
After College is a special club in Kolkata, India, started by a young woman named Ameerah Rahman.
It began as a simple WhatsApp group during her college vacation.
The club is a place where students and recent graduates can perform music, read poetry, play games, and meet new friends.
It was created so young people have a space where talent matters more than winning competitions.
The club started with online performances and then grew to host events in real life.
The first in-person meet-up happened in July 2024 at a cafe, where people dressed in black and white and shared music and poems.
Over time, After College organized many fun events, like themed game nights and poetry evenings at a bookstore.
The club also helps children who don't have as many chances by teaching them art, music, and comedy.
Today, After College offers a friendly place for young people to hang out, make friends, and share their talents.
After College is a Kolkata-based community founded by Ameerah Rahman, which began as a WhatsApp group during a college vacation.
The community hosts open mics, poetry evenings, themed game nights, book swaps, sports events, and film screenings, with most events kept free.
Its first offline gathering, inspired by Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department, was held at a cafe near Bhawanipore College in July 2024.
The community's social cell organized month-long art workshops for underprivileged children teaching storytelling, theatre, music, poetry, and stand-up comedy.
After College launched the All India Performance Arts League (AIPAL), an online competition judged by professionals across poetry, dance, theatre, and storytelling.
- Who
- Ameerah Rahman, founder, and young adults including college students and graduates in Kolkata.
- What
- A community named After College that organizes open mics, poetry evenings, game nights, workshops, sports events, and other social activities.
- Where
- Kolkata (Calcutta), India, including venues such as a cafe near Bhawanipore College and Oxford Bookstore.
- When
- Founded during a college vacation; first offline event held in July 2024, with further events through August and September 2024.
- Why
- To create an egalitarian, competition-free space where young people can socialize, create, and find community amid loneliness and social isolation.
Key facts
- Community name
- After College
- Founder
- Ameerah Rahman
- Location
- Kolkata, India
- Origin
- Started as a WhatsApp group during a college vacation
- First offline event
- July 2024, at a cafe near Bhawanipore College
- Event pricing
- Most events are free
- Social initiative
- Month-long art workshops for underprivileged children
- Flagship initiative
- All India Performance Arts League (AIPAL)
Quotes
Ameerah Rahman
Founder of After College, a Kolkata‑based community for post‑college youth
“After College was created as a space beyond competition and unfair rules. We wanted an egalitarian platform for young people in Calcutta who often complain about a lack of opportunities. It is open to everyone — including college graduates — and is meant to be a place where people can socialise, create and simply hang out after college.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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