Indian American launches wellness and spirituality web magazine in New York

January 23, 2023

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India’s Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal, left, with Parveen Chopra, at the launch of Lotusinthemud.com, an online health and wellness magazine, at the Consulate Jan. 1, 2023. Photo: courtesy Parveen Chopra

A new wellness and spirituality web magazine started by journalist Parveen Chopra was launched January 21, 2023, at the Indian Consulate in New York.

The online site, alotusinthemud.com offers insights and inspiration for people to be healthy, happy and peaceful, according to a press release from Chopra, who explained that the name, ‘Lotus in the mud’ is a key concept in Hinduism and Buddhism, signifying that one may get caught up in problems, but that people have an inherent capability to emerge in full bloom.

At the launch event, India’s Consul General Randhir Jaiswal called the initiative “another slice of India in America promoting wellness through yoga, right food habits, etc, and which people should benefit from”.

Chopra said Lotus In The Mud carried the collective wisdom of many like-minded writers, experts and advisers.

Screenshot of website Lotus In The Mud. Photo: courtesy Parveen Chopra

“We tap the world’s religious and spiritual traditions for wisdom as well as modern medical and scientific research to present content for people to be fully productive and successful and yet be healthy, happy and centered,” he explained.

Subjects covered on the site range from ‘The big questions of life as answered by Hinduism, ‘The 4 happy hormones and how to boost them’, ‘Practical uses of faith – a Zoroastrian perspective’, and ‘Beware the frozen food convenience’ etc. It also offers short meditations, personality quizzes and space for visitors to share their experiences of healing and personal/spiritual growth.

Supporters and guest speakers (with bouquets) at the Jan. 21, 2023, launch of Lotus In The Mud, a health and wellness magazine. Photo: courtesy Parveen Chopra

Guest speakers at the event included Nitin Ajmera, chairman of the Parliament of the World’s Religions; Arvind Vora, founder of Shanti Fund that promotes Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals among school children in Long Island, NY; Reverend Tom Goodhue, emeritus Executive Director of Long Island Council of Churches; and Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya, author of the bestselling book Everyday Ayurveda.

Chopra’s biography describes him as a trained teacher of meditation, founder of Life Positive, India’s first body-mind-spirit magazine from New Delhi in 1996. In the United States, he has edited The South Asian Times for more than a decade and One World Under God interfaith journal.

His web magazine is published by American Center for Wellness & Spirituality Inc, a non-profit established by Chopra.

The Lotus launch at the Consulate followed felicitation of The South Asian Times (TSAT) Person of the Year 2022, Anil Bansal, former president of the Federation of Indian Associations NYNJCT.