An Editors’ Meet luncheon was organized to celebrate the importance of Maha Shivratri by A Lotus In The Mud. The event took place at the Akbar banquet hall and was hosted by Abhishek Mishra. It was curated and moderated by Parveen Chopra, founding editor of ALotusInTheMud.com. The gathering brought together media members and respected personalities from the Indian American community to discuss spirituality, unity, and interfaith harmony. Chopra said that all religions teach people to do good deeds and expressed happiness in supporting Mishra’s efforts to promote faith in God. Mishra shared his personal spiritual experiences and explained that dharma means living a righteous life, which is different from organized religion. The program also featured a devotional Shiv Stotra by Ashok Vyas.
Several speakers shared inspiring messages during the event. Upendra Chivukula, the first Indian elected to the New Jersey Legislature, spoke about civic responsibility. Community leader Peter (Pradip) Kothari encouraged unity within the Indian community. Harish Goyal, CEO of Zee TV Americas, talked about discovering spirituality through meditation. Other speakers included Adam Rizvi, Dr. Shrenik Shah, Sarada Chiruvolu, and Soma Rao, who discussed interfaith harmony, meditation, humanitarian work, and spiritual growth. Media members also participated in an interactive session. The event was attended by community leaders such as Edison Councilman Ajay Patil and others. The program ended with a vote of thanks by Namita Mishra, and media coverage was handled by Kripa Ranjan Prasad.
