Atlanta, Georgia: Courage and Connection Take Center Stage at NRI Pulse’s “NRI Stories 2025”

There is a distinct power in hearing stories not just written but lived. When the voices behind the headlines step onto the stage, narratives transcend the printed page and become shared experiences. On Sunday, September 28, NRI Pulse hosted MOH: Jewels – NRI Stories 2025 at the Golden Venue in Cumming, Georgia—an evening devoted to the transformative power of storytelling within the Indian American community.

Conceived last year to commemorate two decades of NRI Pulse, the NRI Stories platform has quickly evolved into a meaningful celebration of courage, resilience, and justice. This year’s event, presented in partnership with title sponsor MOH: Jewels, combined live storytelling, music, dance, dinner, and networking, all anchored by the power of lived experience.

In her opening remarks, our founding editor Veena Rao emphasized why storytelling endures as a vital cultural force: “Stories have a ripple effect. They move hearts, lead to conversations, and sometimes shake up entire communities,” she said. “That’s what NR Stories is all about. My vision is simple: to create a space where our community’s stories can be heard.

Stories of struggle and courage, reinvention and hope. Because when we tell our stories, we show the world that behind the headlines are real people with dreams, fears, and unstoppable spirit.” Under the direction of emcee and speaker coach Neha Negandhi, CEO of Storytellars Table, the program embodied the publication’s ongoing mission to celebrate narratives that inform, heal, and unite.

The evening welcomed distinguished guests of honor — Sreejan Shandilya, Deputy Consul General of India in Atlanta, and Hon. Cassandra Kirk, Chief Magistrate Judge of Fulton County — whose presence reflected strong community partnership. The event also paid tribute to Padma Shri Dr. Dhananjay Sagdeo, Chief Medical Officer of the Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission in Wayanad, Kerala, recognized for over four decades of service in tribal health and education.

The evening also included a special felicitation for community stalwart Mustafa Ajmeri, fondly known as the unofficial Indian mayor of Atlanta, in recognition of his decades-long service to the Indian American community. After a warm meet-and-greet, the lights dimmed, and the audience settled into silence as five storytellers took the stage—each transforming personal trials into universal lessons of courage and faith.

Raveena Kumar opened the evening with her story of resilience after a rare spinal stroke at age twelve left her paralyzed from the neck down. Refusing to accept doctors’ grim predictions, she fought her way back to mobility and purpose. Today, as a speech-language pathologist, she helps children find their voices. “Time doesn’t heal all wounds,” she shared. “But we can create our own reason from what happens to us.”

Next, Sonny Bharadia recounted a harrowing two-decade battle for justice after being wrongfully convicted in 2003 for crimes he did not commit. Despite DNA evidence proving his innocence as early as 2004, Georgia courts denied his appeals until the Georgia Innocence Project took up his case. In 2023, after 23 years behind bars, Bharadia walked free and was officially exonerated in May 2025. “You can let life’s problems defeat you,” he told the audience. “I’ve chosen not to let them defeat me.”

Award-winning journalist Moni Basu followed with an evocative account of her journey from an orphanage in Kolkata to a newsroom in Florida—and ultimately to war zones around the world. Adopted by a woman who saw a white owl as a sign of destiny, Basu grew up navigating identity and belonging in the American South. Her experiences as a war correspondent taught her that “stories can bridge divides,” and that truth-telling remains journalism’s most sacred responsibility.

Aparna Bhattacharyya, Executive Director of Raksha, Inc., offered a deeply personal reflection on generational trauma and compassion. Inspired by her father’s resilience after losing his mother as a child, Aparna found her calling in advocating for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. “We all carry pain that is not always our own,” she said. “But what we choose to do with it — how we turn it into purpose — that’s what defines us.”

The evening concluded with Mahendra Patel, whose life was upended when an act of kindness was mistaken for a crime. Wrongfully accused of kidnapping after helping a woman steady her child at Walmart, Patel spent 47 harrowing days in jail before video evidence cleared his name. “Injustice can happen to anyone,” he said quietly. “Faith and courage are the only weapons you have.”

Between the powerful narratives, the audience enjoyed soulful musical performances by Vaibhavi Matapathi and a vibrant Bharatanatyam presentation by the Adavu Group, adding rhythm and emotional depth to the evening. As the program drew to a close, Jyothsna Hegde expressed heartfelt gratitude to all who made NRI Stories 2025 possible. “Our storytellers gave us courage, our audience gave us connection, and our sponsors gave us the strength to continue this mission,” she said.

NRI Pulse extended its sincere appreciation to its Title Sponsor, Ashish Doshi of MOH: Jewels, for his unwavering and continued support the initiative; Platinum Sponsor, Narendra Patel of Madras Chettinad, for treating guests to an exceptional culinary experience; Silver Sponsors — Dr. and Mrs. Sheth of the Sheth Foundation and Ahobalam of Method Hub; and Bronze Sponsors — Kiran Anu and the Subra Bhat Foundation for their generous partnership.

The publication also thanked its DJ Sponsor, Awaaj DJ (Yogesh Jadhav), for setting the perfect tone, and photographer Pramod Kailas, for capturing the spirit of the evening. Special recognition went to Mini Nair for coordinating with the Consulate, Pratima Dhumal for logistics management, and volunteers Deepa Chandrakumar and Meghana Naik for their seamless support.

Table sponsors — GAPI, Paddy Sharma, IACA, Charter Global, Paramount Solutions, Dr. Narasimhulu Neelagaru (Hometrust Bank), Gujarati Samaj, Sankara Nethralaya, and SEWA — were also recognized for their continued commitment to community storytelling.

As the curtain fell on NRI Stories 2025, the evening stood as a testament to the enduring power of truth and connection. What began as a journalistic endeavor has grown into a living, breathing forum of shared humanity — where every voice, no matter how quiet or bruised, finds resonance and strength.